Service Line Inventory Questions? Click HERE!
The Safe Drinking Water Act and the EPA Lead and Copper Rule Revisions require every community water system to create a Service Line Inventory, where the water system will identify every water service line in its system and identify the pipe material of the public and private-side service line. The City of Thomson is working to protect public health and continue providing safe, quality drinking water to the citizens of Thomson, Dearing and McDuffie County. We are sure you will have questions, so we have provided answers to anticipated questions below. Should any other questions arise, please feel free to contact us at Lead-Copper-Rule@thomson-mcduffie.gov or at 706-595-1781.
FAQs
What are the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions?
In 2021, the EPA revised the 1991 Lead and Copper Rule to strengthen the existing regulations and improve public health protections by focusing on identifying and removing lead service lines. As part of these Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR), the City of Thomson is required to create a publicly available service line inventory, which identifies the pipe material of the public and private-side service line. The ultimate goal is to remove lead service lines that can contribute to lead contamination in drinking water. Other changes to the rule include revised tap sampling protocols, required testing for schools and daycares, and public education procedures.
What is a Service Line?
A service line is the piping that runs from the water main to the building inlet. Ownership varies by water system but is typically split between the water system and the property owner. The City of Thomson owns the section of the service line from the water main to the meter box, while the section from the meter box to the building is owned by the property owner.
How Can Lead Enter Your Drinking Water?
It is important to know that lead does not naturally occur in drinking water sources, and the treated water that leaves the Thomson Water Treatment Plants does not contain lead or copper. Lead and Copper can infiltrate into drinking water through the corrosion of lead piping, fittings, or plumbing appurtenances, including service lines and interior plumbing. Local water officials perform routine testing for lead and copper contamination at points-of-use, and the City has never had a lead or copper violation since the inception of the Lead and Copper Rule.
What Can I Do to Protect Myself from Lead and Copper Contamination?
Rest assured, we are taking action to ensure lead and copper exposure is not prevalent in drinking water supplied to our customers. It is important to know that lead and copper exposure is a rare occurrence. Our water system has routinely met or exceeded federal standards for lead and copper in drinking water, and after physically verifying many of the service lines to-date, zero lead service lines were found.
If you are concerned about exposure to lead in drinking water, please visit EPA’s website at http://www.epa.gov/lead or contact your health provider for ways to identify or reduce lead exposure.
What is the City of Thomson Doing to Prevent Lead and Copper Contamination?
Our staff has been working hard to identify the pipe material of the service lines in the drinking water system. Service lines are divided into four classifications: Non-Lead, Lead, Galvanized-Requiring-Replacement, and Unknown.
- Non-Lead service lines are determined to be non-lead-bearing material through either an evidence-based method or through visual verification. We found 1,984 service lines in this category.
- Lead service lines partially or completely consist of lead pipes. We have not found any lead service lines to-date.
- Galvanized-Requiring-Replacement services lines are made of galvanized iron or steel. It is possible for galvanized iron or steel pipes to “hold on” to lead particles in drinking water if lead piping existed upstream of the galvanized pipe. Out of an abundance of caution, galvanized service lines are scheduled for replacement if it cannot be determined that the service line was never downstream of lead piping. We found 19 lines in this category.
- Unknown service lines have not been identified, yet. There are 5,711 lines in this category.
The City of Thomson is mailing out Service Line Notification Letters to inform you which service line classification your service line belongs to, according to the initial service line investigation. If your service line is determined to be non-lead, you will not receive a letter. The notification letters will also inform you how to access the results of the initial service line investigation, where you can view all the service line inventory information online.
For more information on lead and copper in drinking water and the Lead and Copper Rule, please see this list of resources:
