LSLR Collaborative Awards at ACE26: CDM Smith programs receive recognition in seven categories

Marking its 10th anniversary this year, the Lead Service Line Replacement Collaborative (LSLRC) has helped communities across the United States accelerate full lead service line (LSL) replacement by building shared tools, enabling cross-sector knowledge exchange and highlighting innovative solutions. This year at the American Water Works Association’s (AWWA’s) 2026 Annual Conference & Exposition (ACE26), the LSLRC recognized and honored individuals and programs demonstrating excellence in essential areas of LSL replacement. 

Water systems and communities across the country have made great strides in replacing LSLs, and awardees were recognized for excelling in areas that are essential to effective LSL replacement and that align with the LSLRC’s principles, including technical efficiency, fiscal savvy, community engagement and ensuring equal access to programs and services. The ceremony also honored individuals who have demonstrated longstanding leadership in the industry. CDM Smith’s team, projects and committee activities were recognized in seven award categories: 

Contractor/Consultant Extraordinaire: Sandy Kutzing, lead and copper strategy leader

Sandy Kutzing, PE, PMP, CDM Smith’s lead and copper strategy leader was recognized as Contractor/Consultant Extraordinaire for her exceptional technical LSLR know-how and deep commitment to community impact. 

Sandy has guided over 100 water systems—both public and investor-owned—through regulatory compliance, inventory development and technical planning for LSLR programs. Her expertise spans major initiatives such as Newark’s accelerated LSLR Program, DC Water’s Lead-Free DC, Providence’s Accelerated LSLR Program, St. Paul’s LSLR Program, Trenton’s LSLR Program and other statewide compliance efforts across the United States. Her work has shaped multiple municipal and state efforts to remove lead service lines, optimize corrosion control and modernize LSL program delivery from inventory through construction closeout. She has educated and empowered communities, utilizing shared tools and strategies, while fostering cross-sector collaboration and spotlighting innovative approaches and cost-effective solutions. 

She recognizes that her work directly impacts people and communities to ensure clean, efficient LSL replacements, and prioritizes residents’ experience, property care and respectful resolution of concerns. Sandy’s compassion, attention to detail and technical expertise earned her this key honor from the LSLRC.

Community Ambassador: Kareem Adeem, City of Newark, New Jersey

Kareem Adeem, Director of Water and Sewer Utilities for the city of Newark, New Jersey, was awarded as Community Ambassador. Few public servants embody the spirit of community leadership, trust building and transformative action as fully as Kareem Adeem. 

Trust became essential when Newark exceeded the Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) action level in 2017, triggering widespread concern and confusion. As Assistant Director at the time, Kareem was among the first to explain to Mayor Ras Baraka that while corrosion control improvements were necessary, the only permanent solution was full replacement of all LSLs. When he became Director in 2019, he carried that conviction into action. As an essential leader in engaging community members in LSL replacement, Kareem led door-to-door, multilingual outreach efforts, ensured renters and low-income households were prioritized, eliminated cost barriers to ensure equitable access and maintained transparency through dashboards, public meetings and direct communication. 

Kareem’s leadership ensured that the city’s most vulnerable residents were not left behind in its LSLR program, and he continues to inspire other cities to act with urgency. Kareem’s voice, credibility and trust as a community leader to promote LSL replacement earned him this important recognition. 

Outstanding Leadership in LSL Replacement: DC Water 

Specially created for programs that were selected as a finalist in multiple of the original categories, the Outstanding Leadership in LSL Replacement category was awarded to DC Water. 

DC Water’s Lead-Free DC program is a citywide effort to replace all LSLs in Washington, DC. The $2 billion program launched in 2019 and is replacing roughly 42,000 lead service lines with new copper pipes, a major investment in safe drinking water. Thousands of lead pipes have already been replaced, saving DC residents millions of dollars in replacement costs. DC Water continues to ramp up replacements, aiming to remove every lead service line in the District to achieve a lead-free water system. 

The award reflects DC Water’s leadership to implement a large-scale LSLR program and the CDM Smith-Ramboll Joint Venture’s commitment to public health and safety as program manager.

Efficiency & Technical Innovation: Milwaukee Water Works

The Efficiency & Technical Innovation category was awarded to Milwaukee Water Works (MWW).

MWW’s program stands out for its ability to achieve high‑volume replacements at a remarkably low cost. With an average construction cost of approximately $7,500 per full replacement in 2025, compared to the national average of $10,000, MWW is able to stretch limited federal and state funding significantly further. This cost efficiency is driven by the city’s block‑by‑block construction model, widespread use of trenchless replacement methods and a contractor workforce capable of completing 4–6 replacements per crew per day—a productivity rate that far exceeds typical industry norm. MWW’s implementation of process and technical improvements by grouping replacements geographically reduces mobilization time, shortens construction windows and minimizes pavement restoration costs. This approach also allows contractors to work continuously and predictably, increasing productivity and lowering costs. 

Through trenchless construction, block level sequencing, advanced digital tools and strong cross-sector coordination, Milwaukee delivers replacements at a cost far below the national average while accelerating progress toward full removal. MWW’s is committed to replacing all 65,000 remaining lead service lines by 2037 to protect public health and upgrade aging infrastructure, and CDM Smith continues to actively support MWW’s LSLR program management. 

Enabling Equal Access to Lead Service Line Replacement and Associated Jobs: St Paul Regional Water Services

The Enabling Equal Access to Lead Service Line Replacement and Associated Jobs Award was presented to Saint Paul Regional Water Services (SPRWS) in recognition of its Lead-Free Saint Paul Program, one of the most ambitious and equitable lead service line replacement efforts in the nation.

Launched in 2022, the Lead-Free SPRWS Program is a transformative, 10-year initiative that will work to replace approximately 25,000 lead service lines, helping protect public health for generations to come. The program is provided at no cost to property owners, eliminating financial barriers through a combination of local, state and federal funding.

The program has already delivered significant results. By the end of 2026, SPRWS will have replaced more than 25% of all lead service lines in the east metro, demonstrating both the scale of the effort and the organization’s ability to rapidly deliver meaningful public health improvements across the city.

What sets the program apart is its commitment to equity. SPRWS uses census-based data to identify neighborhoods with higher concentrations of young children and historically underserved populations, ensuring communities most vulnerable to lead exposure receive priority access to replacements. By proactively addressing disparities in lead service line replacement, the program ensures all residents, regardless of income or neighborhood, can benefit from safer drinking water.

SPRWS has also built a robust community engagement strategy tailored to individual neighborhoods. Multilingual outreach materials, trusted community partnerships and targeted engagement efforts help ensure residents have access to clear information and opportunities to participate.

Beyond its public health impact, the Lead-Free SPRWS Program is creating lasting economic opportunities. The initiative prioritizes local hiring and expands opportunities for small and medium-sized local businesses to participate in the work. As a result, the program is not only replacing aging infrastructure but also investing directly in the local workforce and economy.

This recognition highlights SPRWS’s leadership in demonstrating that cost should never prevent participation in critical public health improvements. By combining data driven equitable access, meaningful community engagement, and local workforce development, the Lead-Free SPRWS Program is setting a national standard for how utilities can address lead service lines while strengthening the communities they serve.

As the program continues to make substantial progress, SPRWS is advocating for continued state and federal investment to maintain this momentum and ensure all remaining lead service lines can be replaced as quickly as possible. Sustained funding will be critical to protecting public health, advancing environmental justice and delivering the long-term benefits of a lead-free drinking water system for every Saint Paul resident.
CDM Smith supports program management efforts to help ensure the initiative achieves its goals of high participation, equitable access and timely completion. 

Fiscal Savvy and Funding Innovation: Trenton Water Works 

The Fiscal Savvy and Funding Innovation category was awarded to Trenton Water Works (TWW) in New Jersey. 

While TWW’s initial replacement efforts from 2020 to 2022 were triggered by three Action Level Exceedances (ALEs), TWW used this regulatory requirement as a catalyst to build a long-term, sustainable and community-centered program that now exceeds state and federal expectations—TWW secured more than $97 million in external funding in total, including $62 million in principal forgiveness and grants, directly reducing the financial burden on the community and enabling the transition to a fully funded program. By integrating these awards into its plan and the State of New Jersey’s ability to move the federal money into the hands of the utilities that need it, TWW has already obtained funding for replacement of over 40% of its estimated 33,000 LSLs. This program’s long-term, proactive planning to integrate the cost of full LSL replacement into the community’s capital improvement plan and its pooling of resources across communities and systems to increase impact balances the needs of people with lead service lines, and those of the broader community. 

With external funding secured through 2026, a commitment to full replacements, and a focus on equity and affordability, TWW exemplifies the values championed by the LSLR Collaborative and stands as a leader in sustainable, community-centered lead service line replacement. CDM Smith has supported Trenton Water Works through most of the LSLR phases in design, funding, outreach, data management and construction management.

Policy Innovation and Leadership: Jersey Water Works Lead Taskforce 

The Policy Innovation and Leadership category was awarded to the Jersey Water Works Lead Taskforce. Sandy Kutzing and Kristin Epstein from CDM Smith are both consultant members of this committee.

Implementing state and local policy changes that facilitate LSL replacement and addressing key challenges, including unlocking funding and innovative payment for LSLR, policy created by the Jersey Water Works Lead Taskforce is adopted by and used as a model for other jurisdictions. There is a clear linkage between Jersey Water Works Lead Taskforce policy intervention and increased, accelerated LSL replacement in other communities.

The awards and recognition from the LSLRC are a testament to these individuals and programs excellent contributions to LSL replacement, extensive community experience, technical expertise and industry leadership. Congratulations to all the LSLRC award winners recognized at ACE26.