Over the next few weeks, 50,000 residents will be getting notified who may have a lead pipe on their property.Starting on Sept. 2 Greater Cincinnati Water Works will be sending out notices over the next 10 weeks to customers who have a private service line made from lead. Water works officials said the presence of a lead pipe does not pose an immediate threat to customers and if you get a letter you should worry. The letter aims to explain how water is treated to prevent lead exposure.GCWW will also be removing lead pipes for customers over the next several years. The notifications comes after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced changes to federal regulations involving lead in water, one of them requiring utilities to notify all customers who may have a lead service line on their property on an annual basis.Customers include those who have lines made from galvanized steel, which may contain lead, as well as customers who have lines in which the material is unknown.The notifications include letters to rental which will be sent to tenants, landlords and the owner’s agent. The letters will also be sent by email if they have one on file for each customer.GCWW said they want to remind customers there is no lead in the water when it leaves the treatment plant, but the risk for lead to enter drinking water happens if the pipes connecting the water mains to drinking water are made of lead. GCWW uses a mixture of chemicals to coat service lines to minimize that risk. Cincinnati began requiring the use of copper pipes in 1928 and stopped using lead for public lines at that time but some service lines on private property still contain lead, and GCWW is working to replace them for customers for free by 2037.So far, they have replaced nearly 6,000 lead lines since the launch of its Enhanced Lead Service Line Replacement Program in February 2018. GCWW currently replaces about 1,200 lines annually. The amount is expected to increase to about 3,600 annually over the next few years due to changes in federal regulations.
Over the next few weeks, 50,000 residents will be getting notified who may have a lead pipe on their property.
Starting on Sept. 2 Greater Cincinnati Water Works will be sending out notices over the next 10 weeks to customers who have a private service line made from lead.
Water works officials said the presence of a lead pipe does not pose an immediate threat to customers and if you get a letter you should worry. The letter aims to explain how water is treated to prevent lead exposure.
GCWW will also be removing lead pipes for customers over the next several years.
The notifications comes after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced changes to federal regulations involving lead in water, one of them requiring utilities to notify all customers who may have a lead service line on their property on an annual basis.
Customers include those who have lines made from galvanized steel, which may contain lead, as well as customers who have lines in which the material is unknown.
The notifications include letters to rental which will be sent to tenants, landlords and the owner’s agent.
The letters will also be sent by email if they have one on file for each customer.
GCWW said they want to remind customers there is no lead in the water when it leaves the treatment plant, but the risk for lead to enter drinking water happens if the pipes connecting the water mains to drinking water are made of lead. GCWW uses a mixture of chemicals to coat service lines to minimize that risk.
Cincinnati began requiring the use of copper pipes in 1928 and stopped using lead for public lines at that time but some service lines on private property still contain lead, and GCWW is working to replace them for customers for free by 2037.
So far, they have replaced nearly 6,000 lead lines since the launch of its Enhanced Lead Service Line Replacement Program in February 2018. GCWW currently replaces about 1,200 lines annually. The amount is expected to increase to about 3,600 annually over the next few years due to changes in federal regulations.
Read More: Cincinnati Water Works to 50k customers who may have lead pipes on their