Helping Protect Customers from Lead in Drinking Water
Did you know that homes built before 1960 are more susceptible to having water service lines and/or fixtures containing lead?
At Little Thompson Water District our mission is to provide our customers with safe, reliable and good tasting water at a fair price. In recent years, a greater emphasis has been placed on the potential health risks of lead in drinking water. LTWD has made a concerted effort to ensure we are adhering to the latest requirements from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE)) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). We want our customers to rest assured that the District’s water is lead-free when it leaves our treatment plants and the material used in our pipes has never contained lead.
While we know that our water is lead-free, residential homes and buildings have smaller service line pipes and prior to 1960, lead-based service lines leading to the homes may have been used. If present, these pipes are found leading into the meter pit from the mainline, or out of the meter pit into the building but can also be found in older faucets and fixtures*. When water passes through these pipes, it is possible for tiny particles of lead to be absorbed by the water when it travels through your home. To understand the potential health implications of lead-based water pipes, please read more from the EPA.
Our team has diligently reviewed the taps in our service boundary that pre-date 1960 where the service line material type is not currently known. From this group of taps, 314 addresses have been randomly identified using approved CDPHE statistical methods for which we need more information regarding service line pipe material. You may have received, or will soon receive, a letter if your address has been randomly chosen for investigation of the service lines leading to your home.
Was your home built before 1960?
Help us determine if the water service lines leading to your home need further inspection!
We are asking customers for help to identify the current water service line pipe material leading from the meter pit to their homes or buildings that were built before 1960 and then complete the Service Line Questionnaire. Note: If your home was built after 1960 and you did not receive communications from us you do NOT need to fill out the questionnaire.
Completing the form is voluntary, you will not be fined or penalized for not completing the form; however, if you complete the form ahead of our crews coming to complete the field investigation you will be given a $50 bill credit. We will need to dig a small pothole in between the meter pit and the waterline in the road. Completing the form may reduce the likelihood that we need to dig a second small pothole on your property between the home or building and the meter pit, however, it does not guarantee that we will not need to dig a pothole if you are unable to identify the water service line pipe material where it enters the home.
Please review the service line questionnaire PDF to determine what information you will need to prepare in advance. Then complete the Online Service Line Questionnaire form. If you need help uploading your pictures, please see the photo upload instructions PDF for support.
Please contact us at waterquality@ltwd.org or (970) 532-2096 if you need assistance completing the form or uploading your photos.
FAQ
In some homes and buildings built before 1960, lead or galvanized steel pipes were used to deliver water to or throughout the property. When water passes through these pipes, tiny particles of lead can be absorbed by your drinking water when it travels through your home. Extended exposure to lead can lead to health consequences. Therefore, it is vital to identify the potential presence of lead in the water service line leading into your home and for you to be aware of the potential for this in your home’s pipes and eliminate any sources that may contaminate the water. Please note the LTWD is not responsible for testing or replacing any internal plumbing, such as faucets and fixtures. You can read more from the EPA about potential health risks.
Completing the service line questionnaire is voluntary, but highly encouraged. If you complete the form ahead of our crews coming to complete the field investigation you will be given a $50 bill credit. During our inspection, we will need to dig a small pothole in between the meter pit and the waterline in the road. Completing the form may reduce the likelihood that we need to dig a second small pothole on your property between the home/building and the meter pit. If you do not complete the survey, a District employee or contractor will be sent to your property to complete a visual inspection of your pipes through a second small pothole between the home and meter pit.
Our team will be conducting a visual inspection of the water service line on your property. We will notify you in advance of when this inspection will take place. During our inspection, we will need to dig a small pothole in between the meter pit and the waterline in the road. We may also need to create a second pothole on your property between the home/building and the meter pit. Once the inspection is completed and you fill out your questionnaire, our customer service team may follow up to inform you of potential next steps. This will likely occur within 60 days but may occur up to 120 days after the service line information is submitted. Please note that having a lead or galvanized steel service line does not necessarily mean you have lead in your water.
No, it does not necessarily mean you have lead pipes or lead in your water. We have sent communication to properties where the service line material is not currently known. Our team will be conducting a visual inspection of the water service line on your property and digging a small pothole to identify the material. We are also asking customers to complete a service line questionnaire to help us further identify their current water service line materials leading from their meter pit to their home or building. In the meantime, we recommend you follow the tips below until we determine if your pipes need to be replaced.
If we identify your service line pipe contains lead, you will be further notified by LTWD to inform you of the next steps. Please note that having a lead or galvanized steel service line does not necessarily mean you have lead in your water.
In the meantime, we recommend you follow the tips below until we determine if your pipes need to be replaced. In the event lead service lines are discovered, LTWD will be responsible for replacing any needed service lines from the water main to the meter pit and will offer to coordinate the replacement of the customer-owned portion located between the meter pit and the home at the customer’s expense. LTWD is not required to pay for the customer-owned portion. LTWD will provide payment options for the customer to pay for the replacement of that portion if the customer elects to have it replaced.
Tips for dealing with potential lead-based pipes
- Use a water filter that is labeled as NSF/ANSI certified. Filter water for drinking, making tea and coffee, cooking food like rice, pasta, beans, and soup, and for baby formula. Follow manufacturer recommendations on filter replacements.
- See information from the EPA on How to Identify Lead-Free Certification Marks for Drinking Water Systems & Plumbing Products, or consult with a licensed plumber for help.
- Clean out faucet aerators (the small screen added to the end of a faucet) as they may have trapped particles from older service lines. Today’s Homeowner has a video demonstration.
- Run your water to flush out lines if they haven’t been used in several hours. Activities such as showering, doing laundry, cleaning, or watering houseplants will help flush lines (while conserving water) before using water for drinking or cooking.
- Always use cold water for drinking, cooking, and preparing baby formula.
Never cook with or drink water from the hot water tap. Never use water from the hot water tap to make formula. - Additional resources:
- American Water Works Get the Lead Out Video
- EPA Infographic on Sources of Lead in Drinking Water
- EPA Basic Information about Lead in Drinking Water
- Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
- EPA PDF on How to Identify Lead-Free Certification Marks for Drinking Water System & Plumbing Products
- EPA Consumer Tool for Identifying Point of Use (POU) Drinking Water Filters Certified to Reduce Lead
- CDPHE Information about how to Test and Fix Water For Kids - mandatory lead sampling for schools and child care programs (Colorado HB22-1358)
- American Water Works Get the Lead Out Video
* Please note that LTWD is responsible for identifying the material of the service line from the main to the meter pit and from the meter pit to the home or building. LTWD is not responsible for identifying the material for internal plumbing, such as faucets and fixtures. We recommend contacting a licensed plumber, at your discretion and cost, for identification and possible replacement.