The City of Radford is conducting an inventory of its water lines in compliance with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA)Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) requirement to prepare and maintain an inventory of service line materials.
“The EPA mandate impacts all public and private water utility services of 2-inch diameter or less, in the United States,” according to a statement released by the city.
“The City of Radford’s Water Service Line Inventory program was developed in response to the LCRR,” it reads. “Staff is currently working with CHA Consulting, Inc. under the guidance of the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to conduct the required inventory of lead water service lines within the city limits. This inventory includes both city-owned and customer-owned lines.
The Service Line Inventory is a federal requirement aimed at enhancing the safety and reliability of our water infrastructure. It’s part of our commitment to ensuring the highest standards in water quality and compliance with national regulations.”
Many residents recently received a notice in the mail saying their home or residence has a water service line leading to their home that is of “unknown” material. These notices are being mailed to older homes and those who did not fill out a survey asking what type of water service line they have at their homes. This notice does not pertain to the city’s water lines. Rather, this is the line that leads from a home to the city’s water line.
“Water customers with unknown or galvanized service line material requiring replacement will receive notification via mail,” the city’s statement reads.
Lead service lines have been prohibited by Virginia’s plumbing code since 1979, but homes built prior to that date may have used galvanized steel lines that have lead content.
“We want to emphasize that this program has nothing to do with any suspected deficiencies in our water quality,” the city stated. “Your tap water remains safe. This is a proactive measure to ensure we have a comprehensive The Service Line Inventory is occurring without any impact on utility bills.
The City of Radford is currently creating an inventory of all water service line materials in the City’s water system as part of a Federal EPA program.
The city is asking anyone who has not filled out the survey to do so.
“You may receive a survey in the mail asking for you to tell us about your water service line material. This information will help us greatly as we continue to fulfill our obligation to the EPA. The survey will include a guide to help you locate your service line and identify the material. There will be a materials information guide included if you do not already know your service line material. You will be able to complete the survey using the postage-paid paper form provided or through our web form. This information will help us greatly to fulfill our obligation to the EPA and in our ongoing efforts to ensure the city is providing you with the highest quality drinking water. If you have any questions, please contact Jay Eanes at 540-731-3603.”
“We appreciate your cooperation and understanding as we work towards completing this federally mandated program. Your involvement ensures the success of this initiative and contributes to the overall well-being of our community.”
“To date no lead services have been found. Radford water quality exceeds federal and state standards and lead levels are well below regulatory requirements.”
Staff report
