Mayor Daniel Biss attended a summit at the White House on lead pipe replacement Friday, according to a city press release. At the summit, Vice Presdent Kamala Harris announced the “Get the Lead Out” partnership between the federal government, state governments, local communities, water utilities and other organizations to accelerate lead pipe service line replacement..
Evanston’s infrastructure includes more than 7,000 public lead pipes, which can cause cancer and other illnesses. Like many Chicago area suburbs, Evanston is full of lead service lines. Many of Evanston’s pipes were built in the 20th century, before the 1986 Safe Drinking Water Act strengthened federal regulations. The pipes have yet to be replaced..
Evanston celebrated National Hispanic Heritage Month with a multitude of celebrations this year, ranging from worry doll making kits to community-wide events. Approximately 12% of Evanston residents identify as Hispanic or Latino/a/e, according to United Census Bureau data. Additionally, 8,778 people who identify as Hispanic live in Evanston –– almost double the 4,541 residents counted.