The Athens-Clarke County Public Utilities Department (PUD) recently launched the Water Service Line Inventory online database and map at www.accgov.com/waterservicelines. As required by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), water utilities across the country were tasked with identifying the types of materials in water service lines on both the utility and customer sides of the meter and making this information available to the public.

A water service line is a water pipe that connects a home to the public water main and carries water from the main to the faucets, toilets, and other fixtures within a home. The inventory identifies the service line material as lead, non-lead, galvanized iron, or lead status unknown.

Several divisions of the PUD have worked since 2021 to identify over 42,000 water service lines based on historical records, field verification, and predictive modeling. The inventory process indicates that there are no lead service lines in the Athens-Clarke County system. All the service lines are non-lead, which means that they are made of copper, PVC plastic, or another non-lead material.

"We are pleased that our inventory found no lead water service lines on either the ACCGov or the customer sides of water meters throughout the community," said Public Utilities Director Hollis Terry. "Our staff worked diligently over several years to undertake the inventory and make this information available to the public."

The inventory is one of several steps taken by the PUD to ensure that the water service lines comply with the standards set by the EPA's 2021 revision of the 1991 Lead and Copper Rule. The revision improved aspects of the original rule to mitigate the risks of lead in drinking water. Lead does not naturally occur in Athens-Clarke County's three source waters: the Middle Oconee River, North Oconee River, and Bear Creek Reservoir. Water leaving the J.G. Beacham Drinking Water Treatment Plant also does not contain lead.

The PUD prioritizes providing public health and is committed to providing clean, drinkable, and lead-free water to homes, schools, and businesses in Athens-Clarke County. Not only does the PUD make sure the water leaving the treatment plant meets state and federal standards, but also that the pipes delivering water to fixtures meet those same standards. In addition to the recent inventory, the PUD continually tests water for lead and reports water test results in the annual Water Quality Report mailed to every customer.

To learn more about the water service lines and view the inventory map, visit www.accgov.com/waterservicelines.

For more information, contact Jackie Sherry, Public Utilities Department Water Conservation Coordinator, at 706-613-3729 or [email protected].