Copper and lead have been used in water pipes and fixtures in the United States for decades. While too much copper in your drinking water can cause health issues, lead is dangerous at any level. The goal of eliminating any presence of lead in drinking water is being pursued aggressively by federal and state governments through rule revisions, funded grants, public education, and advocacy.
Potential adverse health effects and toxicity depend on the contaminant, the concentration, and the exposure. There are two general types of toxicity acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term) with different effects on public health and the environment.
Plumbing pipe fittings, fixtures, and solders could have lead in them until 1987, and plumbing parts made of brass could have up to 8% lead in them until 1/4/2014 when the rules and NSF/ANSI Standard #61 limited the wetted surfaces of plumbing fittings and fixtures to contain less than 0.25% lead to be considered lead free.
The current Lead Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) have an action level for lead of 0.015 mg/L or 15 parts per billion (ppb) and an action level for copper of 1.3 mg/L or 1300 ppb. The proposed Lead Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) action level for Lead in drinking water will be lowered to 0.010 mg/l, or 10 ppb.
The action level for copper is much higher than the action level for lead, because a small amount of copper is essential for health, but too much of it can cause health problems such as brain damage, liver failure, or in extreme cases even death. No level of lead is needed by the body.
The source of copper and lead in drinking water is primarily from the pipes and plumbing in the service lines and the plumbing inside the building. The copper and lead in the water at the tap have been reduced over the years by adding chemicals (ortho-phosphate) at water treatment plants to reduce the corrosivity of the water and reduce corrosion in the service lines and the building plumbing pipes, fittings, and fixtures.
Less corrosion in the water supply results in less copper and lead coming off the service lines and coming out of the tap or faucet. This is called Corrosion Control Technology (CCT) and Optimized Corrosion Control Technology (OCCT). This process was very successful in reducing the level of copper and lead in the water delivered out of the tap in your house, however, there is still some lead in the pipes, and fittings in the service lines and interior plumbing in some homes. The goal of the LCRR and the LCRI is to get all of the lead out of the service lines, pipes, fittings, solder, and the water people use.
The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) was first passed in 1974. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published the first Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) in 1991 and has subsequently published many revisions to the LCR rules called LCRR. The latest is now the Lead Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI). They were first posted in November 2023, and are in the process of review and are expected to become final in October 2024. Under the current LCRR, all public water systems must submit their Initial Lead Service Line Inventory by October 16, 2024.
What is a service line?
The EPA defines a (lead) service line as the pipe that runs from the water main to a residence/business/building’s internal plumbing, in addition to all the pipes inside the house, including everything fixtures such as faucets and showers, lead solder on copper pipes, and shorter pipes known as goosenecks that connect to the water main. The water utility distribution system’s water main is typically located in the street, and the service line brings the water from the main to the water meter located at the property line and then brings the water from the meter into the building.
The section of the service line piping from the main to the meter is called the public side. The section of the service line piping that brings the water from the meter to the house is called the private side. Most of the lead and copper in drinking water come from the pipes, fittings and fixtures located in the service lines and the home and building plumbing systems.
The meter is typically located on the property line or the edge of the right-of-way (ROW) in a meter box, or oval shape in the ground made of metal, or plastic with a cover to protect the meter, and the piping and to allow inspection, meter reading, repairs, and replacement. Some areas up north are more likely to freeze, and in some cities, meters are placed inside the buildings or basements. Where service lines, connectors, meters, buildings, and houses were built many years ago lead and galvanized pipe were more common and accepted.
The problem with lead service lines (LSLs)
LSLs require replacement if any part of that service line is made of lead or made of iron piping that is galvanized if lead was ever upstream in the water service line or water distribution system. Galvanized piping is iron pipe with a zinc coating which was added to prevent or slow down corrosion. Galvanized piping and the zinc coating can absorb lead if lead is ever-present upstream and release it back into the water supply for the building. These galvanized service lines are called Galvanized Requiring Replacement or (GRR).
Lead was thought to be a very useful material, it did not corrode or rust, it was easy to work, and it would last a very long time. Lead was added to gasoline, paint, and pipes. Lead is very toxic and has been removed from gasoline and paint, and now there are great efforts to get all of the lead out of water service lines and building plumbing. There is no safe level of lead exposure.
How widespread are LSLs in the US?
Estimates of the total number and the percentage of lead service lines can vary for each location and utility. The widespread use and location of lead in water service lines primarily depend on the age of the construction in each area. Older buildings may also have undergone significant renovation since the lead ban in 1987, and the NSF/ANSI Standard #61 in 2014. Existing lead and GRR service lines could be 10 to 20% in some areas and some municipalities. The lead ban and the original Lead Copper Rule (LCR) in 1991 did not address replacing existing service lines.
The remedy
The Lead Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) and the Lead Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) address this issue directly. The Lead Service Line Inventory (LSLI) requires that every service line in every public water utility must be placed in an Inventory database, a map, and reported to the North Carolina Public Water Supply (NC-PWS). The Initial Inventory must be submitted to the state by October 2024. This initial inventory may be incomplete and have unknowns. The Inventory is required to be improved, field verified, updated, and resubmitted every year. The Inventory and other system data are the foundation to document all lead, GRR, and unknown service line work. The primary goal and requirement are to identify all unknowns and replace all lead and GRR service lines within 10 years. Additional goals and requirements are complete compliance with the LCRR and the LCRI, safe and reliable drinking water, excellent customer service, communications, and confidence.
The EPA says an estimated 9.2 million LSLs serve water to properties in communities across the United States. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has allocated $15 billion toward LSL Replacement (LSLR) through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). With this investment, 49% of funds will be provided to communities as grants or principal forgiveness loans without requiring a state match.
During its September meeting, North Carolina’s State Water Infrastructure Authority (SWIA) approved a total of 30 communities for more than $34 million in the following three LSLR project categories: Inventory, Find and Replace, and Replacement. Since then, the state has further approved $36 million in funding for more communities.
WithersRavenel’s Funding Team has so far helped 12 clients get funding toward these projects, with a total of more than $11 million.
North Carolina communities have until October 16, 2024, to complete their LSLI (inventory).
Our multidisciplinary team of scientists, engineers, data analysts, regulatory experts, water utility managers, GIS, SUE, survey experts, and funding and asset management specialists, have been working together with several clients to help with the fast-approaching deadline for initial compliance.
We have the experts for all phases of this work to help satisfy pending federal and state deadlines for compliance.
Get the conversation started. Reach out to Tom Poe, PE, WithersRavenel Senior Technical Consultant and Project Manager who leads many of our Lead Service Line (LSL) inventory and replacement projects, at 919-535-5206, or tpoe@withersravenel.com to see how we can help you with your system’s lead service line replacement.