SLEEPY EYE — The City of Sleepy Eye is working to get the lead out of its water system.

Sleepy Eye City Engineer Matthew Miller told city councilors Tuesday state funding is available for Public Water Systems (PWS) replacement of lead service lines.

“State grant funds and forgivable loans for public and private lines are available to start replacing lead service lines that have been identified,” said Miller. “It’s a pretty high priority to get the lead out of the ground.”

He said the current understanding in Sleepy Eye is water lines from structures to the water main are privately owned and eligible for 100% grant funding.

“As of now, there are 37 lines in town requiring replacement at an estimated cost of $830,000,” said Miller. “We’re applying to replace the lines in late summer or early fall 2026. Depending on the amount of work and available contractors, we may look at pushing the project to 2027. There are a lot of cities looking to do replacement projects, so contractors may have a lot of work to do.”

He said contracts will vary from replacing everything from the meter to the main or to wherever there are good water service pipe.

“If you get to copper or polyethylene pipe on the city side, you can stop there. If the pipe is unknown, you have to investigate it. You may have to go across the street to find out what it is,” Miller said. “We’ll have to get homeowner signatures to access basements to do the project.”

He said no project work should have to be done under streets that have been recently reconstructed and copper service lines do not have to be replaced.

Sleepy Eye City Manager Bob Elston said he, Mayor Joann Schmidt and the splash pad committee met with a Wisconsin splash pad contractor who estimated project cost at $200,000 to $300,000.

“Location is one of the first steps,” said Elston.

Several councilors voiced interest in building a splash pad between Sleepy Eye Baseball Park and Prairieview Softball Park.

Unanimously approved donations of $3,000 from the Sleepy Eye Servicemen’s Club to the Sleepy Eye Fire Department for a boat launch to be used for July 4th fireworks, $1,000 from Frederick Kelton in memory of Marlene Murphy and $300 from Duncan McGreggor to Dyckman Library, motion by Councilor Nate Stevermer, seconded by Gary Windschitl.