Lead & Copper Pipe Safety

We are committed to creating a community that thrives by providing a safe, secure, and enjoyable environment for all of our water users. Complying with the EPA’s Federal lead and copper drinking water program is one way that we can succeed in providing safe and clean water to anyone who partakes and fulfill our commitment of safety to our community.

We are currently working on identifying all unknown service lines. 

Identifying Service Line Material 

One approach to identifying the material is to physically inspect the piping. Service line pipes may be exposed where the pipe enters the home through a basement wall or floor, at the water meter, or when discovered through excavating the dirt over the service line or where connected to the water main. 

​Water lines are typically 12 inches below the depth soil freezes in a community, meaning that service lines are often three and half feet or more underground and much deeper in northern climates. Consequently, our knowledge of service line materials is only as good as the installation records, subsequent recorded repairs, and inspection of those parts of the service line that can be readily accessed.

While lead is visibly different from other metals routinely used for water pipes, test kits ​approved by EPA to test for lead paint can be used to test for lead on the surface of service lines. Information on lead testing resources are available at: 

• Occupational Safety and Health Administration: Lead Test Kits
• National Center for Healthy Housing: Lead Testing Kits

​If a pipe is painted, the lead kit will respond to the lead in paint. ​Be sure to confirm false negative test results using the “Test Confirmation Card” contained in the test kit.

Water Service Line Inventory