Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced $2.4 million in H2Ohio assistance to help 53 public water systems, including four cities and one village in the Valley to identify and map lead pipes in each community.

The village of Leetonia, along with the cities of Youngstown, Columbiana, and Girard each received $50,000, while the city of Hubbard received $49,621.

“Water plays a vital role water in our daily lives, and these mini-grants will help communities take the first step toward safer water, " said Ohio EPA Director Laurie A. Stevenson.

The 53 lead pipe mapping projects will take place in communities in 37 counties.

An estimated 6.1 million lead water lines remain across the nation. Lead primarily enters drinking water when materials containing lead in water distribution systems and household plumbing corrode.

Ohio EPA has previously awarded six communities with almost $2.2 million in H2Ohio funding to remove and replace a total of nearly 500 lead service lines, and $2.1 million to 48 communities for lead line identification and mapping assistance. An additional $1.25 million in H2Ohio funding was used for lead service line replacement projects at childcare facilities in Cincinnati and Cleveland.