ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Asheville is preparing to launch a long-term effort to replace lead water service lines while also reshaping how it spends federal housing dollars, with officials weighing infrastructure needs against homelessness and housing support programs.
The changes come through two major funding sources from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: the Community Development Block Grant program and the HOME Investment Partnerships Program. Together, the city expects to receive a little more than $2 million in the coming year.
Lead pipe replacement moves to the front
The most immediate shift is a proposed $500,000 investment to begin replacing lead service lines through the Asheville Water Resources Department.
Those lines connect water mains in the street to individual homes. City officials say the work is part of a federal requirement to identify and replace lead service lines by 2036…