The EPA estimates there are over nine million lead service lines to replace in the United States. During this week’s Tap Talk, we learn about the efforts at Cleveland Water to replace these service lines that have landed Cleveland and Cuyahoga County ahead of the curve. We welcome Cleveland Water’s Brenda Culler, Lead Program Manager, and Joshua Pecek, Lead Service Line Replacement Work Administrator.
Topics Discussed
- Meet Brenda Culler: LinkedIn
- Brenda’s Water Heroes: Theodore Scowden and Emil Crown, pioneers of Cleveland Water
- Meet Joshua Pecek
- Josh’s Water Hero: His father, Timothy Pecek, who preceded him at Cleveland Water
- Introduction to Cleveland Water’s system and history with lead service lines
- Lessons on LSLR for small systems from a large system like Cleveland
- LSLR Pilot Program for childcare centers
- Logistics and future plans for the current LSLR operation
- Cleveland Water
“If you pave a road, and there is lead underneath it,
Brenda Culler
at some point I am going to have to punch a hole in it.”
Go Further
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About the Guests
Brenda Culler’s 24-year career has focused on water quality and Lake Erie. She’s been at Cleveland Water since 2017 and is currently the Lead(Pb) Program Manager for the team responsible for developing and implementing Cleveland Water’s LSLR plan to meet LCRR/LCRI compliance. Cleveland Water has secured around $65 million in federal LSLR funding. In addition to her LSLR role, Brenda specializes in creating clear communication materials from scientific data, legislative requirements, and engineering & industry standards. Brenda holds a BS in Journalism from Kent State University.
Joshua Pecek is Cleveland Water’s Lead Service Line Replacement Work Administrator. Josh has worked at Cleveland Water since 2015 as part of the pipe repair and hydraulics sections and since December 2022 as the LSLR Supervisor and Suburban Water Main Program Administrator. His field experience and background in coaching has allowed him to successfully oversee LSLR work and train field staff to ensure the work is done properly. Josh’s role on the LSLR team is to coordinate with contractors in scheduling the replacement work, reviewing work orders to ensure everything has been done properly, scheduling field staff and coordinating with safety service directors in the communities Cleveland Water serves.