Utility Samples of Communicating about LSL locations

While most water utilities do not have a searchable, complete inventory of lead service lines in their communities, many have made inroads in identifying specific areas of concern based upon construction age or information gleaned from on-site inspections. Sharing that information with customers demonstrates transparency. Below are examples of web language from various utilities with varying levels of knowledge about lead service lines in their communities.

Denver Water Web Languagehttp://www.denverwater.org/WaterQuality/WaterSafety/LeadCopper/

Where are lead service lines located?

Denver Water does not have enough information to know the specific locations of all of the lead service lines in our service area.

In Denver Water’s experience, homes and buildings most likely to have lead service lines are those built in 1950 or earlier. However, we don't know exactly when and where lead was used by plumbers and builders in our service area.

Because homeowners own service lines, we don't have records of where original lead service lines have been replaced with non-lead material, such as copper.

We are researching regulations, plumbing codes and policies from prior decades to gain a better understanding on areas where lead service lines may exist.

Green Bay Web Languagehttp://gbwater.org/water-quality/who-is-affected-by-lead-service-lines/

None of the water mains in the Green Bay Water Utility system are made of lead. The only lead piping is found in a minimal amount of older water service lines in Green Bay, which are the pipes that run from the main water line in the street directly to a house. Lead may also be found in plumping and fixtures used in some homes. Lead does not affect Green Bay homes built since 1984, and is more common among homes built before 1944.

Approximately 1,300 out of 35,600 water service lines in the City of Green Bay, or fewer than 4%, are affected by lead. Half of a property’s service line is owned by the utility, and the other half is owned by the property owner, separated by the curb stop (see above illustration). If both halves are made of lead, it is important to replace them at the same since replacing only one may result in more lead entering the home. Therefore, replacing these lines requires a collaborative effort between our customers and our utility.

Properties with both utility- and privately-owned lead service lines will also require additional planning and funding since property owners are currently required by law to pay for the replacement of their service lines. The water utility is working with the City of Green Bay to form grants and zero percent interest loans to help homeowners cover incurred costs.

To find out if you’re impacted by a lead service line, view a map of affected properties or browse a list of addresses of those affected.

Milwaukee Water Works Web Language http://city.milwaukee.gov/WaterQuality/Lead-Awareness-and-Drinking-Water-Safety.htm#.WQI5mvnyuUk

Does your property have a lead service line? Of the approximate 169,000 water service lines in Milwaukee, about 70,000 residential propertes and about 6,000 commercial properties have lead service lines. The service line connects the water main in the street to the property. As shown below, the City of Milwaukee owns the section he service line from the water main to the curb stop at the property line. The property owner owns the section of the service line from the curb stop to the water meter. Using the year a house was built is not the best way to determine whether a service line is made of lead.

Search our records to see if a property has a lead service line -- Find properties listed by address: These are lists of properties with a meter installed in the building and an active billing account that have a lead service line from the water main to the curbstop. In most cases, if this city-owned section is made of lead, the property owner's side of the service line connecting the curb stop to the water meter also is made of lead.

The lists here are the best available information we have. MWW does not have records of the material used for the privately-owned portion of the water-service line or even whether the material on the private side has been changed. Unless MWW has information to the contrary, MWW assumes that the material used on the private side is the same as the material used on the public side of the water-service line. Some properties, such as those in the former Town of Lake area, are not included here because the information was not available at the time service was moved to the Milwaukee Water Works. As lead service lines are replaced, this database will be updated. Please call Customer Service if you replaced your lead service line during or before 2016.

If a property does not have a meter or active billing account, it still may have a lead service line but may not appear on this list. If you are inquiring about a property that may not have a meter or an active billing account, please contact Customer Service, (414) 286-2830, or email watwebcs@milwaukee.gov.

If an address has a meter installed and an active billing account but it is not listed here, it likely has a copper service line. However, if your property is a corner lot, please contact Customer Service to verify the service material.

  May 19, 2016   Dear Customer:  Recent events in Flint, Michigan have focused national attention on lead in drinking water.   As a valued customer of the City of Bozeman water utility, I would like to take a few minutes to discuss how we manage water quality in our system and ask for your cooperation.    First, some background information.  No lead exists in Bozeman’s source water.  Lead enters drinking water primarily as a result of corrosion of materials containing lead in the water distribution system and household plumbing. These materials include lead‐based solder used to join copper pipes, brass and chrome‐plated brass faucets, and in some cases, pipes made of lead that connect houses and building to water mains (service lines).  Stable water quality greatly reduces the potential for lead corrosion and the release of lead into drinking water.  Many of the problems in Flint were the result of changing to a new source water with a different quality that caused widespread corrosion in the distribution system.  Bozeman has not changed water sources in over 30 years and our operations staff monitor and adjust water quality daily to ensure water is stable and not corrosive to lead.  We also routinely take representative samples throughout our water system to verify that we comply with all drinking regulations for lead and many other water quality parameters.  The results of those tests are provided to you each year in our annual water quality report.    Although we have excellent water quality, it is important to understand that Bozeman does have lead within our distribution system.  Lead solder was not banned until 1986 so older homes may have lead solder within their plumbing systems.  Old faucets and other end use devices can also contain lead.    But the source of lead that has received the most attention in Flint and nationwide are lead service lines.  Lead service lines were installed in many homes across the nation in the early 1900’s.  If these service lines are disturbed lead release can occur.    Our practice has been to completely remove and replace lead service lines whenever we replace water mains or discover lead service lines in the field.  However, some lead service lines remain.  A review our historical water system connection records indicate that 170 lead service lines (less than 2% of our water connections) remain in the City.  Our goal is to eliminate all lead service lines in Bozeman.   

You have received this letter because our records indicate your home has a lead service line.    What does this mean to you?  First and foremost, we would like to verify the lead concentration in the water delivered to your home at no cost to you.  Water sampling is a simple process.  At your request, we deliver a sample bottle to you with sampling instructions.  After receiving your sample kit, first thing the next morning fill the bottle with cold tap water from either your bathroom or kitchen faucet and place the bottle on your front steps. We will pick it up, have it analyzed and contact you with the results.  Should the lead concentration in your water exceed regulatory standards, we will immediately replace your lead service line at no cost to you.   If the lead levels are below regulatory standards, we will schedule your home for service line replacement again at no cost to you.  The service line replacement schedule will be coordinated with other water projects and service line replacements throughout the City. Our goal is to remove all lead service lines in the next three years.   If you would like to have your water tested please call Jill Miller at 406‐994‐0503 or email her at 

jmiller@bozeman.net to arrange for a sample kit to be delivered to your home.  After we have reviewed the test results with you, our water operations staff will contact you to discuss the details of service line replacement and the replacement schedule.    The safety and health of our community members is our first concern and replacing lead service lines is a priority for the City of Bozeman.  Please do not hesitate to contact us directly with any questions or concerns.   Sincerely,  

  Craig Woolard, Ph.D., P.E.  Director of Public Works 406.582.2273 

WWEE WWAANNTT YYOOUU!!

The York Water Company

Was your house built prior to about 1940?

If your house was built prior to about 1940 youmay have a customer-owned lead service line. If it is lead, we also want to test your water to makesure it’s below the action level. See inside formore details.

130 East Market StreetYork, Pennsylvania 17401717•845•3601www.yorkwater.com

We Will Replace It at Little or No Cost to You

TO FIND OUT IF YOU OWN A LEAD SERVICE LINE

When your house was built, the builder installed the water line from the curb into the house. This is the customer-owned service line and it may be made of lead, copper, galvanized steel, or plastic.

If your customer-owned service line is made of lead, let us know! If you’d like, we’ll also provide a water test, and if the lead level exceeds the action level, we’ll provide you with a 200-gallon-per-month flushingcredit until the line is replaced.

York Water will also estimate the cost to replace the customer-owned lead service line, and if it’s less thanabout $1,250, there may be no cost to you! If it costs more than that, then we can discuss ways to help finance any cost above that amount. (See back page to contact us for details.)

Our goal is to replace all customer-owned lead service lines over the next several years. If you have a company-owned lead service line, we’ve previously sent you information on our replacement plan.

Other Ways You Can Check for Lead:

Lead test kits can be purchased at your localhardware or home improvement store. Thesekits are used to test what the pipe is madefrom – not the water inside. Look for an EPArecognized kit. Also, a licensed and insuredplumber can inspect your pipes and otherplumbing for lead.

To see if you have a lead service line:You will need a key or a coin and a strong refrigerator magnet.

1. Find the water meter in your basement. Look at the pipe that comes through the outside wall of your home and connects to your meter.

2. Carefully scratch the pipe (like you would a lottery ticket) with a key or a coin. Do not use a knife or other sharp tool. Take care notto make a hole in the pipe. If the scratch turns a shiny silver color, itcould be lead or steel. Note: If pipe is painted, gently scrape thepaint off first to expose the metal.

3. Place the magnet on the pipe. If a magnet sticks, it is steel.

If it’s silver/grey and is NOT magnetic: It is a lead pipe.

House older than about 1940? You may have a lead service line.

House

WaterMain

Water Meter

To household plumbing

Company-ownedService Line

Customer-ownedService Line

ValveValve

BasementRoad

YardPossible Pipe Material

Sidewalk

Copper

Steel

Plastic

Lead

Water Flow

If you have a customer-owned leadservice line, fill out the form at: https://www.yorkwater.com/customer-owned-lead-service

We will provide a partial reimbursement as a way to repay you for making our community lead free.

Date Replaced:

03/16-03/17 – Up to 80% Reimbursed03/15-03/16 – Up to 60% Reimbursed 03/14-03/15 – Up to 40% Reimbursed03/13-03/14 – Up to 20% Reimbursed

You’ll need to have an invoice from a certified plumber.Please contact us for details.

Or, call us at 717-845-3601 and we’ll send someone out to verify and drop off a free water test kit if you’d like. In the meantime, we suggest you flush about 3 gallons from your line when you have not used it for more than 6 hours. Learn more about leadin drinking water and proper flushing techniques atwww.yorkwater.com or review the pamphlet we recently sent to you.

Si desea leer este aviso en español, haga clic aquí.

Have You Replaced Your Lead Service Line in the Past 4 Years?

York Water found elevated levels of lead in drinking

water in some homes/buildings. Lead can cause

serious health problems, especially for pregnant

women and young children. Our goal is to remove

all lead service lines in our community.