A $4 million state loan will help replace lead water lines in Galesburg.
The loan is expected to cover the cost of replacing about 2,000 lead service lines. This is nearly half of those in the city. Galesburg will only be required to repay interest, and the project is expected to take up to four years.
An investigation published last month by The Associated Press found Galesburg had one of the nation's most persistent problems of lead in drinking water. It said city's water exceeded the federal lead-action level of 15 parts per billion 22 times over the last 25 years.