The city of Fond du Lac is putting the brakes on a mandatory lead pipe replacement program after the low-bid contractor for the project backed out after failing to secure a bond. Public Works director Jordan Skiff says the replacement program will still take place this year, but on a voluntary, not mandatory basis. Skiff says it makes sense to continue on a voluntary basis because of the cost and so the city can take advantage of a clean water loan program. “We don’t want to lose the $300,000 loan and the other concern is the re-bidding from what we’re seeing from other communities probably would not give us better prices,” Skiff said. The runner-up bid was nearly twice as high as the low bid for the Fond du Lac project. A public hearing was held Wednesday night on the assessments that were mailed out for the first 148 homes selected for lead pipe replacement.
