The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced changes to drinking water regulations that require water suppliers to identify all materials used in the construction of the water system. The goal of these changes is to identify and remove all lead pipes in the drinking water system. Lead and copper enter drinking water primarily through the corrosion of plumbing materials that contain lead and copper. Exposure to lead can cause damage to the brain, red blood cells, and kidneys, particularly for young children and pregnant women, as well as other negative health conditions. Water suppliers must identify all construction materials used on both the supplier's & the customer's side of the water meter, which means that the City will possibly need your help! The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) is requiring the water suppliers to submit this information before October 16, 2024. City staff have been working to create the City’s water system service line inventory utilizing already available sources of information like permits, water sampling data, inspection & maintenance records, and senior utility personnel. Some properties within the City will still require individual surveying in order to complete the inventory of the entire water system. Starting in early 2024 City staff will develop and implement a plan to complete surveys of the remaining properties with the cooperation of property owners/occupants. More information about the survey approach and which properties will need to be surveyed will be shared soon. More information about the EPA’s Lead and Copper Rule and the KDHE Public Water Supply Monitoring & Compliance programs is available at: https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/547/Lead-Copper-Rule City efforts underway to inventory lead water service lines
Beginning in January 2024, Public Works staff will reach out to homeowners to help identify components on the homeowners side of the water distribution illustrates where those components may be. KDHE mandates that the City submits an inventory of all lead components by October 2024. system that may contain lead. The graphic to the left
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