BENTON HARBOR, Mich — The City of Benton Harbor announced Monday that a Request for Proposals (RFP) for lead service line replacement work has been released and posted online.
The State of Michigan is assisting with sending out information about the RFP to potential bidders.
According to a release, bids should be made out to City of Benton Harbor, Office of the City Clerk, 200 E. Wall Street, Benton Harbor, MI, 49022. Bids can be sent until 10 a.m. on Dec. 17, at which time the bids will be opened publicly. Contracts are expected to be issued in January, with work beginning as soon as ground conditions allow.
The replacement work will swap out the estimated 4,000 lead service lines in the city by May 2023. Those pipes will be replaced with copper ones.
“It is important to note because scams are possible that residents and homeowners are not being billed for the replacement work,” according to a release. “The work is being done at no cost to residents and homeowners. A Right of Entry form will need to be signed by the homeowner to authorize the work to be conducted on private property. All contractors conducting the work will be clearly identified and will be required to follow all health and safety protocols.”
In October 2021, city commissioners in Benton Harbor declared a state of emergency due to the elevated levels of lead in the city’s tap water.
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