Lynchburg Water Resources plans investigation into lead service pipes - WSET
Lynchburg Water Resources plans investigation into lead service pipes | WSET
LYNCHBURG, Va. (WSET) — Lynchburg Water Resources is beginning an investigation into service lines that bring water to your homes. They will specifically be looking for lead service pipes.
This investigation is to meet the requirements of the Environmental Protection Agency's revisions to their lead and copper rule.
Starting in January, they will begin working to get permission to evaluate the pipes at about 400 randomly selected properties in Lynchburg.
According to Jason Snyder, the public information officer for Lynchburg Water Resources, they are working with a consulting firm to identify the lead service lines so they can come up with a replacement plan.
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Snyder said exposure to lead in your drinking water can cause health effects, like a decrease in IQ and attention span for children. For adults, an increased risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and kidney or nervous system problems.
Snyder said testing shows that there is not as dangerous amount of lead in the water. "When water leaves our treatment plants, there's no lead in the water, obviously the risk for lead comes from lead service lines that might be in the community, so that's what this program is, to find those pipes," he said.
Snyder said the testing leaving the treatment plants and random household testing all exceed requirements.
"Based on the water quality tests that we do, the results from our water quality report that we publish annually every year, we are really proud of the water quality that we are putting out because all of those measurables are below action levels," he said.
He said it is hard to tell right now what they will find and the danger of lead pipes is that lead can get into the water as the pipes corrode.
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