Proactive Approach to Removing Lead Pipes Prepares Greeley for Landmark Rule

GREELEY, Colo.-On October 8, the Environmental Protection Agency announced a landmark rule called the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI). It requires water utilities to proactively replace water service lines that contain lead within 10 years.

The new rule strengthens requirements for locating lead pipes, improving testing for lead in water, and ensuring that exposure is minimized while lead water service lines are being replaced.

Greeley Water asks customers to complete a questionnaire about their water service line material at greeleygov.com/leadsurvey. The results help the city schedule service line replacements and complete an inventory of over 29,000 water service lines.

Protecting You and Our Water

Lead is a highly toxic metal that can cause irreparable harm to children and adults. That is why it is so important to remove lead from our water systems. Greeley's water is lead-free when it leaves the treatment plant. However, lead can still enter drinking water by passing through household fixtures, plumbing and water service lines that contain lead.

The federal government banned the installation of new lead pipes in 1986, but nearly 9 million homes and businesses are still connected to water service lines that contain lead. The City of Greeley has been removing public lead service lines for years, but some still remain and need to be replaced.

Check Out City's Interactive Map

The inventory of the city's water service lines fulfills a requirement of the EPA's 2021 Lead and Copper Rule Revision. Utilities that serve more than 50,000 people must provide an online inventory of their water service lines by October 16. At that time, Greeley Water customers will be able to utilize an interactive map to search for their property and see their service line material at greeleygov.com/leadprotection. The city must also notify persons served by lead, galvanized iron (previously connected to a lead service line) or unknown water service lines within 30 days of posting the initial inventory.

Keri Fishlock is the project manager for Greeley's Lead Protection Program. "Many of our lead service lines have already been replaced as part of previous projects," Fishlock said. "We are focused on verifying the status of every water service line in the city and replacing all remaining service lines that may contain lead."

The city replaces water service lines found to contain lead at no cost to the homeowner and provides free water pitcher filters for up to six months following a service line replacement.

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