New Initiative to Advance Lead Service Line Replacement Program Announced
Buffalo Water recently announced the release of a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) aimed at engaging community based organizations (CBOs) and community health organizations (CHOs) to collaborate on the next phase of Buffalo’s Lead Service Line Replacement Program. The new RFQ was released at the beginning of April. Buffalo Water seeks to build a coalition that will address infrastructure challenges and work towards the wealth and health of communities within the City of Buffalo.
Selected CBOs and CHOs, referred to as Community Action Plan or CAP Agents, will play a crucial role as subcontractors under the guidance of Buffalo Water’s Engineer, GHD Consulting Services, Inc. (GHD). The collaboration will leverage the expertise and community connections of these organizations to implement the Enhanced Lead Line Community Assistance Program, a model focused on neighborhood capacity-building and community engagement regarding lead pipes and drinking water.
“Buffalo Water is on a mission to remove all lead service lines in the City of Buffalo,” said Oluwole (OJ) McFoy, Chairman of the Buffalo Water Board. “This effort will support our community members to access the lead service line map and complete the lead line survey, which helps us locate all the residential lead service lines. By partnering with community and health organizations, we can address the immediate issue faster and contribute to Buffalo’s overall lead removal initiative.”
The RFQ will support Buffalo Water’s existing efforts to identify and replace lead service lines in Buffalo. Selected CAP Agents will form the Community Care Worker Coalition, a workforce dedicated to enhancing community health and environmental justice. To ensure the effectiveness of this coalition, all successful CAP Agents will undergo mandatory training.
McFoy added, “Our tool released last year is a major step towards identifying lead service lines all over our City. We are releasing this RFQ to ensure that no neighborhood is left behind as we prioritize lead service lines in neighborhoods with the greatest need.”
Community-based organizations and community health organizations can learn more about the RFQ and how to apply by emailing John Davis at: john.davis@ghd.com