Axios Cincinnati
August 27, 2026
1 big thing: 🚰 Cracking the lead pipe problem
Cincinnati is a national model for not only replacing lead service lines but also for figuring out how to get homeowners to agree to the work.
Why it matters: Lead service lines remain a public health concern nationwide, and the EPA estimates roughly 4 million remain in service.
- But some cities have struggled to resolve the issue, with a 2037 federal deadline looming to replace them.
Driving the news: Yesterday, the city and Greater Cincinnati Water Works formally marked the removal of its 10,000th LSL since 2018.
Catch up quick: A 2024 Environmental Defense Fund analysis ranked us among the nation's top utilities for lead service lines while citing GCWW's replacement effort as a model.
- Following the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, Cincinnati launched a voluntary LSL replacement program.
- Utility officials identified roughly 42,200 lead, galvanized steel or unknown service lines.
- In 2021, the city started funding all replacements for homeowners, schools and child care centers.
Follow the money: To do that, GCWW raised rates 3.75% in 2022, followed by annual increases of 5.55% through 2026.
- Spokesperson Kevin Osborne tells Axios the program is part of Water Works' budget, with grants and loans helping offset costs when possible.
State of play: Making replacements free caused homeowner participation to jump from roughly 42% to 90%, Osborne says. But money isn't the only barrier.
- Some residents don't know they have lead service lines or worry about disruption, even though a typical replacement takes about five hours. Out-of-town landlords can also be difficult to reach.
"The replacement program relies on trust because owners need to provide signed authorization before any work can move forward," Osborne said.
Case in point: Clifton Heights homeowner Jacob Mecklenborg ignored the city's outreach for years before he signed up for the program.
- "I paid no attention to it, and I wasn't worried about my house having lead pipes since the risk is minimal with established pipes, especially for adults," he said.
- That changed in 2023 when a plumber discovered a leaking lead service line and estimated replacement could cost about $10,000.
What they're saying: GCWW partners with neighborhood councils, churches, community groups and local leaders to spread the word.
- The goal is to make the program feel less like a government initiative and more like advice from a trusted neighbor, Osborne says.
What's next: Cincinnati still has about 30,000 LSLs and must ramp up replacements to meet federal requirements.
- GCWW plans to boost replacements to about 3,000 lines annually and says it's confident it can meet the 2037 deadline.
The bottom line: "This is a major public health initiative," Osborne says. "It's going to require a lot of coordination and cooperation at the local, state and federal levels to get it done."
2. 🍦 Soft-serve summer
Creamy whips — the old-school, seasonal soft serve ice cream stands scattered across the region — are as much a part of warm weather here as Reds games and neighborhood festivals.
The big picture: Cincinnati has no shortage of the beloved businesses, including Putz's Creamy Whip, which dates back to 1938.
- Other neighborhood favorites include Zip Dip, Loveland Dairy Whip, Mt. Healthy Dairy Bar and Norwood Delite, while Whipty-Do operates farther north in Maineville.
Zoom in: At General Custer's Golf & Gulp on the West Side, owner Carlena Lockhart is carrying on another longtime Cincinnati ice cream tradition.
- Lockhart says the site, which has been a family business since 1958 and an ice cream shop since the early 1980s, pairs soft serve with miniature golf and its collection of larger-than-life characters.
What they're saying: "The community that comes and supports us and is happy that we're here and keeping it alive … it just makes me happy," Lockhart tells Axios.
The intrigue: Part of the charm of Cincinnati's creamy whips is that many feel frozen in time — sometimes literally.
- General Custer's miniature golf course is being remodeled. Lockhart says the work has uncovered pieces of its past, including a long-missing arm belonging to a course dinosaur.
- The arm has been found and will be restored to its rightful owner.
📬 Send us your scoop: If you could hit just one creamy whip before summer melts away, where are you going?
- Hit reply with your pick for a shoutout in a future issue.
3. Roebling Report: Metro grows, pasta goes
4. 🥞 Rise, shine and dine
👋 Casey here! I finally made it to a Southern-style brunch at 6 'N The Mornin' in Covington after twice bailing because of the wait. This place just stays busy.
The big picture: 6 'N The Mornin' started as a Kenwood takeout spot in before opening a restaurant in East Walnut Hills. Its new home sits at the base of Embassy Suites on East Rivercenter Boulevard.
- But don't worry, this doesn't feel like a hotel restaurant.
Zoom in: The restaurant serves more than brunch, but that's what everyone I know goes for.
- Options include salmon croquettes ($21), chicken and waffles ($20), lamb chops and grits ($34) and French toast ($20).
- Feeling wild? There's also a $65 seafood platter.
Axios Cincinnati
Get smarter, faster on what matters in Cincinnati with Kristen Swilley.