Pittsburg, PA
'Real results': VP Kamala Harris visits Pittsburgh to celebrate clean water efforts
Vice President Kamala Harris visited Pittsburgh Tuesday to celebrate the region’s success in replacing over 18,000 lead water lines and improving drinking water infrastructure.
The trip came 18 months after she came to the city advocating for new funding to replace tens of thousands of lead pipes.
“When President Biden and I talk about why we do what we do, it is about real results for real people,” Harris told about 100 supporters at the Kingsley Association in Pittsburgh’s Larimer neighborhood. “For basic things, like people having access to clean water.”
Harris spoke for about 10 minutes. She was joined by joined by Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato, Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, and U.S. Reps. Chris Deluzio, D-Aspinwall, and Summer Lee, D-Swissvale.
The vice president celebrated the recent award of over $32 million to Pittsburgh, part of an allotment of roughly $5.8 billion across the nation to improve drinking water infrastructure. That money, in turn, is coming from about $50 billion earmarked for water infrastructure, according to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan, who was also in attendance.
All of the funding ultimately derives from the President Joe Biden’s signature $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure law passed in late 2022.
Harris said no American, regardless of income, should have to drink from lead pipes. She praised Pittsburgh’s success in replacing water service lines.
“It is an infrastructure matter, but it is also a public health matter,” she said to applause from the crowd.
Harris’s trip comes on the heels of several other Pittsburgh visits lately from Biden’s cabinet, including Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
Pennsylvania is a key swing state and Biden’s approval rating has been lagging here. Recent polls have shown a tight contest between Biden and former President Donald Trump in a likely November match up.
Harris said the city has replaced more than 3,000 lead service lines since she last visited Pittsburgh in July 2022.
Pittsburgh became a regional poster child for lead pipe problems starting in 2014, when the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority began experiencing elevated contamination levels in drinking water, highlighting the decades-long lack of investment in the city’s water infrastructure.
By 2016, readings showed lead levels above 15 parts per billion, the federal level requiring action be taken to mitigate the problem.
The authority started replacing lines in 2016 and has since replaced over 10,778 public and 7,578 private lead water lines.
Earlier this month, the authority said it was halfway towards its goal of replacing all lines within its coverage area, which includes most of the city of Pittsburgh, and the entire borough of Millvale.
Recent testing showed lead levels of 3.58 parts per billion, a historic low.
Innamorato said public officials ignored the problem for decades, and the deferred maintenance piled up. She thanked Harris and the Biden administration for their work in funneling funding to Pittsburgh and Allegheny County.
“We finally got action,” she said.
The authority estimates the new $32 million in funding will cover the replacement of an additional 1,375 public and 1,260 private lead service lines within Millvale and 10 Pittsburgh neighborhoods.
The $5.8 billion national allotment is to replace lead pipes, improve storm water infrastructure and remove contaminants. Of that, Pennsylvania will get $200 million.
To date, Pennsylvania has received $659 million for clean water infrastructure, according to Lee’s office.
Lee was also thankful for the federal funding and action taken to replace lead pipes, but emphasized that there were still plenty of communities in the region that need to see upgraded water infrastructure.
“We need to finish the job,” she said. “Clean drinking water is a human right.”
Earlier in the day, Harris touted an additional $5.3 million targeted for Pittsburgh International Airport’s $1.5 billion modernization project.
That funding also came from the bipartisan infrastructure law. Last year, the federal government announced a $20 million grant for the Pittsburgh airport.
Ryan Deto is a TribLive reporter covering politics, Pittsburgh and Allegheny County news. A native of California’s Bay Area, he joined the Trib in 2022 after spending more than six years covering Pittsburgh at the Pittsburgh City Paper, including serving as managing editor. He can be reached at rdeto@triblive.com.
Pittsburg, PA
Written off in Pittsburgh: 5 former Steelers looking for redemption in UFL
Spring football may not carry the same weight as the NFL, but it still offers an opportunity for everyone involved. Fans can satisfy the urge to watch the game they love, while players in the United Football League work to earn another shot at the NFL. No one should expect top-tier play from these teams, but the UFL can still deliver compelling storylines.
Several recognizable names will take the field this spring, including personnel with ties to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
One reason or another, things didn’t work out between the Steelers and these members of the UFL, and that’s why they are attempting a comeback. Pittsburgh either cut them or let them go, and few have heard much from these former members of the Steelers since. The United Football League will see them be thrust back into the spotlight in hopes of landing a shot in an NFL training camp.
Fans will witness several Ex-Pittsburgh Steelers making a comeback in the UFL
Benny Snell Jr., RB, Louisville Kings
The name Benny Snell Jr. has disappeared from football conversations in Pittsburgh since he left the team in 2022. A fourth‑round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Snell never fully found his footing with the Steelers. He was known as a tough, physical runner who could contribute on special teams, but his role in the NFL rarely extended beyond that.
Snell struggled to make a lasting impact in Pittsburgh, and the UFL now offers him a chance to rebuild his reputation and revive his professional prospects.
Todd Haley, OC, Columbus Aviators
It has been nearly a decade since Todd Haley left the Steelers after his stint as offensive coordinator. His last NFL role came in 2018 with the Browns, and since then, his coaching career has taken a winding path that has included high school football and spring league opportunities. Haley’s role with the Aviators could provide him with a chance to re-enter the NFL coaching conversation.
Anthony McFarland Jr., RB, Birmingham Stallions
Many had high expectations for Anthony McFarland Jr. when the Steelers selected him in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. His speed stood out immediately, but he struggled to develop into a complete running back. McFarland now enters his second season in the UFL after a solid stretch of production in 2025. He will need to take the next step and show more consistency this spring.
Tre Norwood, S, Birmingham Stallions
Another United Football League veteran with ties to Pittsburgh is Tre Norwood.
A seventh-round pick by the Steelers in the 2021 NFL Draft, Norwood used his positional flexibility to carve out a role early in his career. He now enters his second season with the Stallions after posting modest production last year. If the versatile defensive back hopes to earn another opportunity in the NFL, he will need to make a stronger impact in 2026, particularly by creating turnovers.
Roc Taylor, WR, Columbus Aviators
Fans were hopeful for Roc Taylor after he signed with the Steelers last year as an undrafted free agent. The wide receiver group on the roster lacked depth at the time, but Taylor was unable to make it through training camp. Despite that setback, his talent remains evident, and the UFL may represent his best path forward. Taylor has a valuable opportunity in front of him to take advantage of.
Pittsburg, PA
Get PFL Pittsburgh results for the Eblen vs. Battle event Saturday night.
MMA Fighting has PFL Pittsburgh results for the Eblen vs. Battle fight card and more from UPMC Events Center in Pittsburgh on Saturday night.
In the main event, former Bellator middleweight champion Johnny Eblen tries to earn another title shot with a win over Bryan Battle, who makes his PFL debut. Eblen (16-1) suffered his first career loss against Costello van Steenis in a PFL title bout in his most recent outing.
Dalton Rosta and Impa Kasanganay clash in a middleweight contest in the co-main event.
Check out PFL Pittsburgh results below.
Main Card (ESPN2 at 10 p.m. ET)
Johnny Eblen vs. Bryan Battle
Dalton Rosta vs. Impa Kasanganay
Ariane Lipski da Silva vs. Sumiko Inaba
Alexei Pergande vs. Julio Arce
Lazaro Dayron vs. Jacob Thrall
Prelims (ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET)
Allan Begosso vs. Jack Cartwright
Natan Schulte vs. Jakub Kaszuba
Robert Watley vs. Dakota Bush
Ernesto Rodriguez vs. Masayuki Kikuiri
Tatiana Postarnakova vs. Elora Dana
Josh Fremd vs. Jarrah Al Salawi
Ethan Goss vs. Fred Dupras
Pittsburg, PA
Pittsburgh has rainiest March in nearly 60 years as flooding causes issues across area
Several areas across western Pennsylvania were hit by flooding as overnight rainfall pushed Pittsburgh past a nearly 60-year-old record.
Pittsburgh has recorded 6.18 inches of rain in March, breaking the record of 6.10 inches, which was set in 1967. The rain caused issues in several communities on Friday, including some in Washington and Westmoreland counties.
Major road flooded in Washington County
Communities across Washington County spent Friday cleaning up after flooding from Thursday night’s storms.
Roads were closed, and ballfields were wrecked because of the rain. Ponds that aren’t supposed to be there could be found all over the county.
“As long as it rains and the creek is flooded, then the road is flooded,” Ruth Mahoney, the owner of The Glass Place in Cecil Township, said.
Georgetown Road in Cecil Township turned into a lake at the bottom of a hill and underpass. Dispatchers said the driver of a car stuck in the water didn’t have to be rescued or taken to the hospital. The flooding ties up the area as the road connects Interstate 79 to Route 19.
“It’s a main artery,” Mahoney said. “Tons of cars come down here every day.”
North Strabane Township saw more of the same. The Lindenwood Golf Club had some new water hazards on the course on Friday. As the water receded into the Linden Creek, a mess was left behind.
It was the same story in Houston.
“When I looked out the window, I was like, ‘woah.’ It’s just rising fast,” said Rogelio Esteris. “My daughter was here playing baseball yesterday because she’s on the softball team and now the field is ruined.”
South Strabane Township had a landslide on Locust Road as well. Mother Nature didn’t take it easy on Washington County. Mahoney said it’s affecting her business.
“When people call, they want to know how to get here,” she said. “You have to tell them, you can’t come because it’s closed today or there’s a backroad, but they don’t understand how to come on the backroad.”
Mahoney said the water should take about a day to recede. Officers told KDKA the car would have to wait to be towed until the water goes down.
Loyalhanna Creek rises, flooding yards
As dawn broke on Friday morning and the rain from the previous night began to cease, some residents of Westmoreland County who live close to the Loyalhanna Creek saw flooding around their homes and along their local roads.
Paul Faust, who lives in the Darlington area of Ligonier Township, has a small tributary to the Loyalhanna Creek in his backyard, but on Friday, that run was acting less like a stream and more like a moat.
“I was up probably about 5 a.m., and it was high,” Faust said. “But it wasn’t over the bank like this and then the next following two hours it started going up. But that is always how it is after it rains.”
Faust says that he and his wife have a system for when their area floods, including tying down outdoor furniture and moving their cars to the top of their driveway.
Many people that KDKA spoke with in Ligonier Township on Friday who live in low-lying areas said they are used to this type of thing and while this flash flood was unexpected, it was not out of the ordinary.
Some water had already begun to recede by Friday afternoon, but Ligonier Valley Police Chief Michael Matrunics still wanted to urge caution, especially for people driving on side roads that may still be flooded around the township.
“It might not look it, but it could be deeper than you expect,” Matrunics said. “And keep in mind, if you go past signs that are posted here, you could be cited for that. Also, if emergency services have to come out and rescue you or tow companies, you’re responsible for the cost. And your safety. Let’s put that at number one. So don’t drive through standing water on these bad weather dates.”
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