United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
In 1986 Congress Amended the Safe Drinking Water Act, prohibiting the use of pipes, solder or flux that were not “lead free” in public water systems or plumbing in facilities providing water for human consumption. At the time "lead free” was defined as solder and flux with no more than 0.2% lead and pipes with no more than 8%.
On December 16, 2021, EPA finalized the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions, which further strengthen the protections against lead in drinking water.
EPA has also announced its intention to further strengthen regulatory requirements through the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, which they plan to finalize in late 2024. For more details on what is anticipate by way of strengthening, please visit: lcrr-review-fact-sheet_0.pdf (epa.gov)
Colorado Department of Health and Environment (CDPHE)
CDPHE has primacy in Colorado, and they enforce drinking water law in Colorado. CDPHE began a stakeholder process for the LCRR in July of 2022 which they anticipate through March of 2023 in anticipation of EPA’s rule strengthening.
What is SACWSD Doing?
The first step for the District is an inventory of our service lines.
An initial assessment conducted last year indicated that the District has no service lines containing lead.
However, an inventory must be completed by October of 2024 and the inventory must be made available to the public.
The inventory that must be completed, will designate lines as follows:
a) “Lead” where the service line is made of lead.
b) “Galvanized Requiring Replacement” where a galvanized service line is or was at any time downstream of a lead service line or is currently downstream of a “Lead Status Unknown” service line. If the water system is unable to demonstrate that the galvanized service line was never downstream of a lead service line, it must presume there was an upstream lead service line.
c) “Non-lead” where the service line is determined through an evidence-based record, method, or technique not to be lead or galvanized requiring replacement. The water system may classify the actual material of the service line (e.g., plastic or copper) as an alternative to classifying it as “Non-lead.”
d) “Lead Status Unknown” where the service line material is not known to be lead, galvanized requiring replacement, or a non-lead service line, such as where there is no documented evidence supporting material classification. The water system may classify the line as “Unknown” as an alternative to classifying it as “Lead Status Unknown,” however, all requirements that apply to “Lead Status Unknown” service lines must also apply to those classified as “Unknown.” Water systems may elect to provide more information regarding their unknown lines as long as the inventory clearly distinguishes unknown service lines from those where the material has been verified through records or inspection.
For more information, please contact: Marc Johns, Distribution and Collections Manager at MJohns@sacwsd.org or 720-206-0511.