PWD - Portland Water District
10/11/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 10/11/2024 12:53
PWD completes lead inventory, certifies no lead service lines in system
The Portland Water District (PWD) proudly announces the successful completion of its comprehensive lead inventory, confirming that there are no lead mains or service lines within its water system. This significant achievement comes in anticipation of the October 16 deadline set by the new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule, which mandates Public Water Systems to thoroughly document the materials of both public and privately owned service lines.
Over the past 18 months, PWD has diligently reviewed its water service records and conducted physical inspections, when necessary, of over 56,000 privately owned service lines. This exhaustive process was undertaken to ensure the health and safety of the community by identifying and replacing any lead or unsafe service lines.
During the inventory, PWD discovered and promptly replaced one lead service line and three galvanized service lines, which were removed because they can be a source of lead if they were ever downstream of lead pipes.
"We are proud to report the completion of our lead inventory ahead of the EPA's deadline," said Chris Crovo, Acting General Manager for the Portland Water District. "This achievement reflects our ongoing dedication to water quality and public health." The Portland Water District's efforts align with its mission to protect public health and the environment through delivering high-quality water services.
The recent EPA rule is part of a nationwide effort to eliminate lead contamination in drinking water, a move that the Portland Water District fully supports and has proactively addressed with its latest inventory. PWD reviewed paper and digital records going back more than a century and visually inspected thousands of services in the field. This inventory and replacement work underscores PWD's commitment to providing safe, clean drinking water to its customers.
Links to video of last of the four service line replacements as a result of this effort.