EPA Finalizes Lead and Copper Rule Changes

Over the past year, water providers across Long Island have been compiling inventories of all service line materials throughout their respective service territories. In adherence to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Lead and Copper Rule Revision, which were announced back in 2021 and finalized earlier this month, water providers will be submitting these inventories to the New York State Department of Health by October 16, 2024. The Long Island Water Conference (LIWC) wants to ensure that those residents who receive letters are not alarmed by the communication to be sent by their water provider by November 16, 2024, but to pay close attention to its contents as it will provide important details and next steps.

“As part of the Lead and Copper Rule change, the EPA is committed to having all existing lead service lines removed in the next decade,” said LIWC Chairman Jason Belle. “It is crucial that all residents understand that if there is an elevated presence of lead in their drinking water, it is not coming from the water they receive from their supplier, but rather, it’s leaching from the resident’s service line or other plumbing fixtures within their home that contain lead. The notifications being sent out by water suppliers are only going to those residents who do or could have a problem with their service line material as they are designed to provide steps for them to follow to have the issue resolved.”

A service line is the underground pipe that connects an individual’s home or business to the water main in the street. Responsibility for service lines vary from water provider to water provider. For example, some residents are responsible for service lines up to the sidewalk, while others are responsible for service lines until they connect to water mains underneath the street. Residents should follow the instructions on the letter they receive to assess the actions they need to take.

The notifications being sent from water providers will inform residents and business owners of one of three scenarios:

• Service line material is lead based and needs replacement.
• Customer service line material is galvanized and is preceded by lead or unknown material on the utility side requiring replacement.
• The service line material is unknown and the providers needs either access from the homeowner to confirm the service line material type or how the homeowner can report the material type back to the provider.

Residents with unknown service line materials are strongly encouraged to take action and support their providers’ required data collection efforts. The New York State Department of Health has published fact sheets and an explanation video on how to quickly and easily determine the material of a service line.

With approximately 500,000 service lines needing replacement throughout New York State, the LIWC will be advocating alongside the New York Section American Water Works Association in asking the State to allocate $500 million to establish a program that will fund and expedite the replacement of service lines.

About the Long Island Water Conference

The LIWC has been committed to providing pure and plentiful water for the Long Island community since 1951. The LIWC represents over 50 water suppliers regionally and aims to provide and maintain an adequate and safe water supply today, while anticipating the water concerns of future generations. LIWC members provide more than 375 million gallons of clean water daily. For more information, please visit www.liwc.org.