H2O Lead Awareness

A Lead Service Line Inventory is a requirement of the EPA's Lead and Copper Rule Revision (LCRR). It involves identifying and documenting all service lines in a water system, including lead service lines, to ensure the safety of drinking water. The Lead Service Line Inventory is required under the revised Lead and Copper Rule. It ensures that all service lines, including lead service lines, are identified and documented. This information helps in managing and reducing the risk of lead exposure in drinking water.

Service lines run from the public water main to the customer’s home. The City owns and maintains the portion of the service line from the main to the meter. The customer owns and is responsible for the portion of the service line from the meter to the home and all of the fixtures within the home.

Lead service lines, which are pipes made of lead that connect buildings to a water system, pose a health risk, especially to young developing brains. Lead is a toxic metal, and its presence in drinking water can be harmful. Lead can enter drinking water when plumbing materials containing lead corrode. This corrosion is more likely to occur when the water has high acidity or low mineral content. Lead service lines are a significant source of lead in the water, particularly in homes with such lines.

The city is replacing service lines to comply with EPA requirements for service line inventories and service line replacements as well as to replace private service line to eliminate long term compliance costs associated with the rule. By replacing the service line at a one time cost, it eliminates perpetual costs associated with the lines for the future.

The city has a dedicated crew for lead or galvanized service line replacements, and may utilize contractors depending on individual project requirements.

If you have received a notice, that means crews will be working in your area soon. You should complete the Lead Service Line Survey and the Gavanized Line Replacement Waiver, both are linked above in the documents section.

Your line will be replaced when crews are able to coordinate a time with you. The City will reach out at least 48 hours before they begin work on your residence.

The City of Lawrence has consistently met and exceeded water quality standards set by the EPA and KDHE. The individual plumbing of your house can affect water quality depending on your service line material.

During initial testing of galvanized lines, no detections of lead were found. Corrosion control measures implemented by the city aid in preventing lead exposure even in galvanized lines. We have no reason to believe your water is unsafe.

If you decline the initial round of replacement, you may complete the survey and we will reach out to you after completing replacement efforts in other areas of the city. Please note: Due to limited resources, it may take a long time before additional opportunities are offered.

Testing done in 2024 showed that a majority of homes with lines of concern had results below the detection limit of 1ppb for lead.

Private homeowners can complete the Lead Service Line Inventory Survey. If your home has a lead or galvanized service line you may be eligible for a free test kit from the City of Lawrence.

You can submit a survey to the City identifying the material that enters your house. You can find the link to the survey and the how-to guide in the Helpful Links section above.

A lead service line refers to a portion of pipe made of lead that connects the water main to the building inlet. It can be owned by the water system, the property owner, or both. A galvanized service line is iron or steel piping that has been dipped in zinc to prevent corrosion and rusting. If a galvanized service line is downstream of a lead service line or a service line of unknown material, it is considered a lead service line.

The City of Lawrence has developed a Lead Service Line Inventory Survey to collect data required by the EPA LCRR. The survey allows customers to provide information about their service lines. If surveys are not completed or materials within customers' homes are identified as "unknown," further communication and verification may be required to determine the type of material.

If you are unable to determine the service line material, please complete the survey to the best of your ability or contact us at leadandcopper@lawrenceks.wpenginepowered.com.

The information you submitted may have been incomplete or inaccurate after review. You can resubmit a survey at https://lawrenceks.wpenginepowered.com/mso/lead-survey or contact us at leadandcopper@lawrenceks.wpenginepowered.com.

The City of Lawrence is required to create a publicly available online inventory accessible. We must maintain the inventory and provide it to the relevant authorities during surveys or investigations. Water systems are also required to notify customers served by lead service lines or lines with unknown status within 30 days of completing the inventory. Annual public notification is required for customers with unknown service lines.

Yes, each community and non-transient non-community water system is responsible for completing a lead service line inventory.

There are many devices that are certified for effective lead reduction, but devices that are not designed to remove lead will not work. Various types of water treatment devices are certified for household use. These devices can remove a broad range of contaminants from water (including lead) and minimize taste and odor issues. You should choose the type of filter that best fits your needs.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that pregnant or nursing women and children under age six should use filtered tap water for drinking and cooking until all sources of lead in drinking water have been removed.

Certified Filters
• Any type of water treatment device that you choose should meet National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) standards.
• For lead removal, filters must be certified to meet NSF Standard 53. The filter package should specifically list the device as certified for removing the contaminant "lead."
• View the NSF Contaminant Guide.

Types of Water Filters
• Various types of water treatment technologies are available including filtration, reverse osmosis, ultraviolet treatment and softeners.
• Various styles of devices are available, including point-of-entry (POE) and point-of-use (POU).
• If the homeowner chooses to use a filter, the Lawrence Utilities Department recommends point-of-use filters, such as faucet mounts and pitcher-style as a good choice, instead of the point-of-entry type of filters.
• Visit the NSF Home Water Treatment Devices Guide for more information.

Water Filter Maintenance
• It is important to routinely replace filter cartridges according to the manufacturer's instructions. Over time, a filter can accumulate metals and bacteria.
Water filters and cartridges can vary in their longevity (length of use) and replacement costs.

Yes, water main replacement or repair can have an effect, as well as starting a new service or resuming water service after it has been shut off. It is not uncommon to experience cloudy or discolored water temporarily after one of these occurrences. If any of these have occurred recently, we recommend that you take the following steps:

• Use the faucet closest to where the water initially enters your home.
• Remove the aerator (screen) from the faucet.
• Run the cold water for 3-5 minutes at a high flow rate from the faucet on the lowest level of the building. Avoid using hot water.
• Make sure the first faucet is clear before moving on to the next faucet.
• Move to the next faucet and repeat procedure until all faucets have been flushed (including the tub and shower).
• Remember to flush all faucets, including refrigerator water dispensers, ice makers, and water heaters.
• Clean the faucet aerators or replace those that are in poor condition. These are available at local hardware stores.

The City of Lawrence prepares an annual water quality report called a Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) for each of its public water systems. These reports can be viewed on our website and provide information about the water quality delivered to customers.