This illustration shows a common arrangement where a local water system and the property owner each own the part of the service line that supplies water to the property. Identifying the material of a service line can be challenging, given that different pipe material and fittings were used during different decades. (Illustration Courtesy City of Newburyport)
NEWBURYPORT — The City of Newburyport wishes to provide the following information regarding drinking water quality, and efforts by the City to comply with new lead and regulations.
The City tests lead levels as part of required drinking water sampling. Testing continued to show no lead in the City’s water source as all test results continue to show drinking water meets all applicable state and federal standards.
Further, City water is treated for corrosion control, which alleviates (insert “potential”) leaching from service lines and interior plumbing.
The federal government is requiring the City, along with all municipal water systems across the nation, to remove or replace lead and galvanized service lines in all public water systems in the next 10 years to further protect the country’s water supply.
As part of this requirement, the City submitted an initial inventory of all service lines to the state Department of Environmental Protection in October.
This inventory identified service lines with lead, galvanized, or unknown materials based on existing City records. Affected property owners were notified in November. If service line material is listed as unknown, information sent to property owners includes a QR code to help identify the materials.
Property owners are asked to complete the service line survey to help the City update its records.
The City will be replacing water meters in the next few years, during which existing records on service line materials will be verified.
Property owners with known compliant pipes will not be contacted, and no further action is required.
Customers are encouraged to visit the City website for additional information.
Residents with questions about this effort are asked to contact Dan Maguire at dmaguire@newburyportma.gov, or by calling 978-465-4464, ext. 1720.
Residents may wish to hire a third-party vendor at their own cost to test household water samples. A list of water testing companies may be found here.
Discover more from John Guilfoil Public Relations
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.