GROVELAND – Superintendent Colin Stokes and the Groveland Water and Sewer Department provided the following update on efforts to identify and eradicate any remaining lead service water lines owned by residents and businesses in town.
As a result of this ongoing effort, zero new lead lines have been discovered, and the Groveland Water and Sewer Department is now confident that few, if any, lead service lines remain in town. If the results hold, it will cap an effort that began in the 1980s when the installation of new Lead was banned.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requires municipal water departments to identify materials used in water service lines, which are the pipes owned by the property owner that bring water from the street into a home or business. Through its aggressive efforts, Groveland identified approximately 1,158 service lines whose makeup material was unknown.
The Department issued a mailing with a QR code, asking affected property owners to self-identify and photograph their service lines. Additionally, Groveland Water and Sewer staff have been inspecting approximately 5-6 homes every day. With more than 600 inspections completed this year, zero lead service pipes have been found.
Residents are encouraged to complete a Water Service Line Identification survey here to help Groveland Water and Sewer collect this vitally needed data.
Lead service lines, while primarily affecting the home or business they service, can also result in backflow, sending dangerous lead into the water system. Eradication of these pipes from public water systems is viewed as a national priority.
Groveland Water and Sewer wishes to acknowledge the efforts of its contracted engineering firm, Environmental Partners/Apex, which was instrumental in reviewing review system records and creating a directory of missing service line information town-wide.
Superintendent Stokes urges residents that, just because they may receive a notice seeking information or requesting an inspection, it does not necessarily mean that their service line is made of lead. It simply means that the material type is not on file with the Department. By regulation, and out of an abundance of caution, the government defines unknown or unlisted service lines as “could be lead” until a material is named and identified for the database.
The full and final report on service lines will be available once inspections are complete.
Groveland Water and Sewer would like to thank residents for their patience and partnership during this important project. For additional questions please contact the department at 978-556-7220. ♦
