Leveraging Lead Service Line Replacement for Workforce Inclusion and Growth

Elevate, in partnership with Current, HIRE360, and Metropolitan Planning Council, led a coalition to explore opportunities and promote an inclusive workforce for lead service line replacement. Our report, “Leveraging Lead Service Line Replacement for Workforce Inclusion and Growth,” positions this infrastructure work as both a public health imperative and a pivotal workforce development opportunity. Whether supporting new individuals to begin their career, or helping existing contractors and firms grow their business, lead service line replacement creates opportunities for plumbers, pipefitters, laborers, and heavy equipment operators in addition to community engagement specialists, administrative professionals, and more!  

In the report, we call for faster replacement in the communities most harmed by lead exposure, intentional local hiring, and stronger support for small, underfunded water systems. To achieve these aims, we explore programmatic opportunities, identify funding and policy needs, and show what supports are needed so that those most impacted by lead in water are full recipients of the benefits generated by lead service line replacement throughout Illinois and beyond. These recommendations are informed by research, one-on-one interviews, and stakeholder group meetings with representatives of labor and the trades, workforce providers, nonprofit advocates, engineering firms, units of government, and education partners, among others.  

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Read and download a brief of this report at: elevatenp.org/wp-content/uploads/LSLR-for-Workforce-Inclusion-and-Growth_Action-Steps.pdf