Is your pipe poisoning the water main? Would you want to take a chance on getting lead poisoning? And would you want to be held accountable for adding lead to the public water supply? This concern has just made the headlines in the latest update of customer lead service concerns of the Pittsburgh Water And Sewer Authority (PWSA). Find out why you should consider replacing your lead water service before your directed to do so.
High lead level concern
If you have a lead water service currently in your home or business, you can get a free lead test from the PWSA if you reside in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. The test will verify if you have high lead levels in your drinking water which would be 15 parts per billion. If you discover high lead concentrations in your drinking water, you will not only be the one contaminated.
Customer is responsible
Water services are the responsibility of the customer (property owner) only. Regardless of testing the water for high lead levels having a lead water service can create a few problems. For instance, the lead pipe is not just poisoning the property it’s servicing it could pollute the entire public water supply through cross connection if the lead pipe corrodes or gets scraped by sediment. Click here for more information about water systems monitoring drinking water at the customers tap also read the safe water drinking act (SWDA).
The water authority is lead-free
Through testing and monitoring, PWSA has determined that the water supply leaving the treatment plant is essentially lead-free and that the lead level problem is coming from the water service lines of customers throughout the City of Pittsburgh. So if you have a lead water service, you should consider replacing it very soon because from the looks of it eventually you will be directed to do so by the water authority.
“The water leaving the plant is essentially free of lead, so this does happen in the service-line area. So that’s where the problem needs to be addressed” ~ David Donahoe PWSA interim executive director
If high lead levels are in the public water supply, homes with lead pipes will be advised to take the necessary steps to reduce the lead. That includes replacing the water service. It’s the law see the Lead Copper Rule (LCR) for more information on the water systems authority regulating high lead level control.
It’s going to get expensive if you wait
Considering that the publicity of lead poisoning is currently low, it doesn’t look like it will be long before there’s a high demand for replacement of lead water service pipes. Naturally, the price will be higher if you wait.
Schedule an inspection of your lead water service pipes now with Vince.
