YOUNGSTOWN — The city received a $1.2 million federal grant to purchase equipment in its ongoing efforts to replace lead waterlines.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded the city the funding from its Lead Service Line Replacement Program. The EPA lead line program was funded through the bipartisan infrastructure law.

The city will use about half of the funding to purchase a hydro excavator — which will make it easier, faster and more efficient to check for lead waterlines — and the rest of the money will go toward new pipes, curb boxes and other materials to use when replacing the lines, said Harry L. Johnson III, water commissioner.

“We’re looking forward to getting the machine as it will be a great help in our plans to replace waterlines with lead,” Johnson said. “It’s going to be very beneficial to the city.”

The city currently uses backhoes to dig when looking for waterlines with lead, Johnson said.

“The hydro excavator is specifically used for waterlines,” he said. “It is twice as fast as a backhoe, it’s less invasive than actual digging, and it will allow us to do it easier. It doesn’t cause as much damage.”

A hydro excavator digs around waterlines so city water employees can see if they’re made of lead, Johnson said.

In announcing the grant Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Cleveland, said: “Families shouldn’t have to worry about whether or not the water coming out of the faucet is safe for their children to drink. I fought for this investment so that the city of Youngstown can replace old lead pipes, creating jobs while ensuring that Ohioans in the Valley have access to safe and reliable drinking water.”

The city has been replacing lead waterlines with the goal of finishing the work by 2050.

A $2.4 million project to replace about 300 waterlines on the south side of Mahoning Avenue, the city’s main West Side corridor, is just about done.

The city received a low-interest loan for that project from the Ohio EPA with 50% of it forgiven.

The city wants to do another project impacting about 500 to 600 homes in the near future, Johnson said.