By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – A project in Springfield is a demonstration of what will be done all over the state through a federal Environmental Protection Agency revolving loan program.

“Regardless of ZIP code, every man, woman, and child deserves to trust that the water coming from their tap is safe to drink,” said Kurt Thiede, the EPA’s regional administrator for the Midwest.

“This is Children’s Health Month, and, as part of this campaign, we are focusing specifically on lead poisoning prevention.”

That means replacing old lines.

“We could not get a better project than a water project,” said Mayor Jim Langfelder, always ready to brag about the city owning its own water and electricity utilities. “Water is the resource of the future. The communities that grow and thrive in the future have to have a quality, quantifiable source of water and this project (lends itself to it).”

He’s used that “resource of the future” line to push for a second man-made lake, but that’s a story for another day.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]