AKRON, Ohio — Akron has removed its final lead service line, making the city completely free of lead lines.
Officials say the city now plans to replace galvanized house lines previously connected to lead, aiming to complete that work by the end of 2027.
Lead is a potent neurotoxin that can cause irreversible harm. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns there is no safe level of lead exposure for children.
Low-level exposure is linked to learning disabilities, nervous system damage, impaired hearing and other health problems. Adults can face cardiovascular issues, kidney damage and reproductive harm.
Akron's lead line removal program dates back to the 1960s under former Public Utilities Bureau Manager David Crandell.
By 1964, the city was replacing roughly 1,000 lead and galvanized lines per year. Akron was recognized in the Federal Register in 1991 as a model for aggressively removing lead service lines.
