Port Washington residents will find out exactly what their property service lines are made of.
The Port Washington Water District is responsible for clean, safe water for visitors, businesses, and residents. All property owners will receive personalized letters explaining the status of their service line material. A service line connects the public water main to individual buildings and is owned and maintained by the property owner. It is typically made of lead, copper, galvanized steel, or plastic.
“It’s important to understand that our water treatment systems are regularly monitored and thoroughly tested, and lead is not a concern in the water supplied to property-owned water service lines,” said PWWD Chairman David Brackett. “These letters are simply to provide property owners with clear information on their service lines and to help address any property-owned lines that may still contain lead. Our team is here to answer any questions residents may have, and we encourage anyone with concerns to reach out.”
In the vast majority of cases, no further action will be needed. Only about 1% of property-owned service lines may require replacement to comply with the updated EPA guidelines. The letters will outline the following steps, if any, based on each property’s specific situation.
The EPA published the Lead and Cooper Rule in 1991 to minimize lead and copper in drinking water.
This past Oct., the Biden administration announced a final rule requiring drinking water systems nationwide to identify and replace lead pipes within 10 years. The Lead and Copper Rule Improvements also require more rigorous testing of drinking water and a lower threshold requiring communities to take action to protect people from lead exposure in water. In addition, the final rule improves communication within communities so that families are better informed about the risk of lead in drinking water, the location of lead pipes, and plans for replacing them.
In response to the new rules, the Port Washington Water District began compiling a detailed inventory of property-owned water service lines. Citizens who receive letters indicating that their service line material is unknown are encouraged to schedule an appointment for an evaluation to clarify the line material and provide a sense of water quality.
