Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz made a public appearance Thursday afternoon to tout a plan to replace lead pipes around the state.

Walz was joined by Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and several other state and local leaders.

It came a day after Walz gave his State of the State address, highlighting DFL lawmakers’ and his accomplishments so far this year.

Thursday’s press conference took place at a construction site in St. Paul, showing the work being done to remove lead pipes locally.

Officials say corrosion of lead pipes can lead to increased lead levels in water, which is harmful to people, especially children. Efforts to replace lead pipes have been underway in many places for several years, including in St. Paul, but many areas still have lead pipes.

The governor and advocates noted a bill currently in the legislature would allocate more funding for lead pipe replacement across the state.