Water Department Superintendent Provides Info About Lead Letter
WATER VALLEY – All City of Water Valley customers who receive water from the city’s water department received a letter earlier this month warning of water service lines that contain lead. Water Department Superintendent David Floyd reported the letter was sent to comply with new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations that require water utility systems to notify all customers served through a water service line made of lead, galvanized steel that is or was downstream of lead or unknown materials.
“The EPA wants you to be aware that it is possible you have a lead service line,” Floyd continued. “This would not be uncommon in a municipality where there are older homes.”
The water service line is the pipe that connects a home or other types of buildings to the City of Water Valley’s distribution lines.
Floyd reported that the water department is required to start an inventory listing all customers who have a lead service line. He added that the city is working on gathering that information.
Floyd also noted that the letter does not mean that lead is present in your drinking water. He explained that the city water is regularly tested for lead and other contaminates in accordance with EPA standards. He said testing performed has not detected a measurable amount of lead in the city’s water.
“There are zero parts per billion,” Floyd explained about the measurement level used to determine if lead is present in the water.
Mayor Tommy Reynolds reported that Congress banned the use of lead pipes in 1986, but allowed those already in the ground to remain.
Floyd said there are some lead water pipes remaining on the city side of the distribution pipes. He said the lead pipes are replaced when encountered.
“Like all public water systems across the country, we are searching to find and remove all lead containing components that could be a health risk for our community,” Reynolds added.
“If you are worried about the possibility of lead in your service line, you can have your water tested at the health department,” Floyd recommended.
Floyd also noted that if lead is present in your water, one of the easiest ways to minimize exposure is to flush your faucet for 15 to 30 seconds before taking that first sip.
The letter sent by the City of Water Valley included additional recommended actions that you may take, separately or in combination, if you are concerned about lead in your drinking water.
• Use your filter properly. Using a filter can reduce lead in drinking water. If you use a filter, it should be certified to remove lead. Read any directions provided with the filter to learn how to properly install, maintain, and use your cartridge and when to replace it. Using the cartridge after it has expired can make it less effective at removing lead. Do not run hot water through the filter.
• Clean your aerator. Regularly remove and clean your faucet’s screen (also known as an aerator). Sediment, debris, and lead particles can collect in your aerator. If lead particles are caught in the aerator, lead can get into your water.
• Use cold water. Do not use hot water from the tap for drinking, cooking, or making baby formula as lead dissolves more easily into hot water. Boiling water does not remove lead from water.
• Run your water. The more time water has been sitting in pipes providing water to your home, the more lead it may contain. Before drinking, flush your home’s pipes by running the tap, taking a shower, doing laundry, or doing a load of dishes. The amount of time to run the water will depend on whether your home has a lead service line or not, as well as the length and diameter of the service line and the amount of plumbing in your home.
• Learn about construction in your neighborhood. Construction may cause more lead to be released from a lead service line or galvanized service line if present. Contact the City of Water Valley’s Water Department to find out about any construction or maintenance work that may disturb your service line.
• Have your water tested. Contact your water utility to have your water tested and to learn more about the lead levels in your drinking water. Alternatively, you may contact a certified laboratory to have your water tested for lead. Note, a water sample may not adequately capture or represent all sources of lead that may be present. For information on sources of lead that include service lines and interior plumbing, please visit https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/basic-information-about-lead-drinking-water#getinto.
• Get your child tested to determine lead levels in their blood. A family doctor or pediatrician can perform a blood test for lead and provide information about the health effects of lead. State, city, or county departments of health can also provide information about how you can have your child’s blood tested for lead. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends public health actions when the level of lead in a child’s blood is 3.5 micrograms per deciliter (μg/dL) or more.
