PHOENIX, AZ — Homeowners across the country are getting letters in the mail this week as water users are required to investigate lead service lines.
The notifications are a part of a final rule by the Environmental Protection Agency which requires all water systems to identify and replace lead pipes within a decade. But, notifications must go out now.
Municipalities across the Valley have been taking inventory of what their water lines are made of and have begun sending out notices with the results.
“Out of an abundance of caution, we’re sending out these letters. We’re going to do this work, but we don’t feel like this is a systemic issue for the city of Phoenix,” Assistant Water Services Director Jim Swanson said. “So we’re confident moving forward that the water quality will be continue to meet or exceed the standards for the EPA.”
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Phoenix is looking into 500,000 water lines, Swanson said half of those are not made of any dangerous material. The other half is unknown, except for roughly 5,000 pipe systems made of galvanized material.
The city said galvanized pipes may have absorbed lead in the past and all of those will be replaced.
Swanson said no lead pipes have been found yet.
For city water users who are worried about their health, water testing is available.
“We will actually come out and do a water quality sample and then provide them the results of that sample,” Swanson said.
To reach out for that, more information on pipe inventory, FAQs, health facts, as well as notification and replacement efforts in the City of Phoenix can be found at pipes.phoenix.gov.
The EPA recommends people flush their home's pipes by running the tap, taking a shower or doing laundry before drinking or cooking. They also recommend using a filter and only using cool water for cooking, drinking or making formula.
The Arizona Department of Health Services has a list of laboratories that perform drinking water testing across the state.
