Department of Water Releases Citywide Water Service Inventory

Lead sampling results for second half of 2024 come in below levels announced in August

The City of Syracuse Department of Water has released a comprehensive citywide water service line inventory in accordance with U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations. Residents can now easily search their address to determine the type of water service connected to their home. The inventory is available at syr.gov/water.

The Department of Water also announced results of EPA required water sampling conducted in the second half of 2024. The results are under the current EPA action level and at the agency's reduced action level to be implemented in three years. The 90th percentile level was identified at 10 parts per billion, and exceedances occurred at only five of the 115 homes with lead services lines that were sampled between August and October 2024. The City is seeking additional samples at properties that were included in earlier testing. Finalized data at the end of the testing period will reflect those results.

Sampling results announced in August showed exceedances at 27 of 104 properties sampled, which was considered an outlier from previous results. The new findings are comparable to previous sampling conducted during the past ten years.

Working with the EPA and the New York State and Onondaga County Health Departments, the data will be used to inform the next steps regarding lead service lines and water quality. Under EPA regulations, sampling will be conducted again starting in January 2025.

Syracuse's water supply is sourced from Skaneateles Lake. The water leaving Skaneateles Lake and traveling through water mains is free of lead. However, lead is sometimes present in pipes connecting older homes to the water system or in fixtures and home plumbing.

Replacing lead service lines is a top priority for the City of Syracuse. In recent years, the Water Department has actively accelerated the number and pace of replacements. The Department of Water is committed to replacing over 3,000 lead service lines in the coming year, with a significant portion funded by $22.8 million in state funding. The Department of Water will continue to expedite lead service line replacements until all are eliminated, in compliance with EPA regulations.

To reduce lead risk at properties with lead service lines, residents should run the water for at least 30 seconds or until it becomes cold and reaches a steady temperature before using it for drinking or cooking. Residents are advised against using hot water from the tap for cooking or drinking and should refrain from using hot water to prepare baby formula. For more information, residents should contact the Onondaga County Health Department at (315) 435-3271 or visit ongov.net/health/env/lead

In the coming weeks, properties will receive letters informing them about the material of their service lines. The Department of Water is seeking participation from residents to identify services with unknown materials. Residents are encouraged to submit photos of their service at the meter by visiting syr.gov/water.

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