ESCANABA — In a special meeting, the Escanaba City Council approved roughly $18.9 million in projects to meet state-mandated lead service line and watermain replacement requirements and to make other needed upgrades to the city’s water infrastructure.

With the exception of $1,019,043.25 in non-participating funds, all of the funds used to support the projects is money given to the city through the American Rescue Plan Act, commonly known as ARPA. As a condition of receiving the pandemic-era stimulus funds, the city must apply the money to qualifying projects or purchases by 2026.

The nonparticipating funds will be paid from the city’s street funds and used to do roadwork, which is necessary to close the street after water mains under the roads are upgraded. City streets affected by the projects discussed Tuesday will be reconstructed from curb to curb.

The ARPA work was bid out as two separate projects, but in both cases the projects were awarded to Five Star Energy Services of Big Bend, Wis. The first project, dubbed “ARPA 2 Project – Division A,” is for the replacement of approximately 990 lead service lines in the city.

“It’s a little early to say what EGLE’s going to do to us but the more we do today the less tomorrow,” said Escanaba Water and Wastewater Superintendent Jeff Lampi.

While the funding for the projects is the result of the ARPA pandemic stimulus money, the requirement for cities across Michigan to replace all lead service lines — which by the state’s definition includes any service lines located downstream of lead goosenecks or other sources of lead even if those sources are removed — stems from the Flint water crisis in 2014. In 2018, the state required all municipalities to remove the offending lines by 2041, which for Escanaba meant about 200 service lines must be replaced every year. The city estimates that without changes to the deadline the burden could drop to around 150 lines a year once Five Star Energy Services completes the projects.

Concerns have been raised that the state could move the deadline. That could put major pressure on communities across the state, but having the lines Five Star Energy Services will tackle replaced by 2026 puts the city in a better position if that were to happen.

“I can’t imagine how communities would be able to get it done, but we’d be in a position where it would be achievable,” said City Manager Jim McNeil.

“ARPA 2 Project – Division B,” the second project awarded to Five Star Energy Services, was primarily for watermain replacements. This included 7,300 linear feet of 8-inch main, 1,300 feet of 6-inch main, 500 feet of 10-inch main, 450 feet of 12-inch main, 325 feet of 16-inch main, as well as necessary joints, valves, fire hydrants, and catch basins.

Division B also includes an additional 130 lead service lines and upgrades and repairs to the city’s south-side elevated water tower.

For both projects, Five Star Energy Services was the low bidder.

“We really like the way the unit pricing is structured. It should be a little bit easier to manage and again, it’s really the best pricing we’ve seen by far,” said McNeil.

In other business Tuesday, the council:

— Approved hiring Arnt Asphalt Sealing Co. to seal coat the city’s parking lot for a cost not to exceed $6,775. The project is a budgeted item.

— Approved a partial street closure of North 9th Street for Mugshot’s “Red, White and Bloodys” event on Saturday, July 7. The road closure will take place from noon to 6 p.m.

— Approved the closure of the 100 block of South 11th St. for the annual Radio Results Network Block Party on July 26. The road will be closed from 8 a.m. on the 26th until the party is torn down on July 27 at noon.