Valparaiso City Services recently completed the required initial inventory of water service lines throughout Valparaiso as part of the revised State and Federal Lead/Copper Rule requirements. Customers have been notified through the mail if their water service line (the water pipe that connects their home to the City’s public water main) may contain lead or galvanized steel, requiring future replacement. Customers have also been notified if their service line material is unknown and needs further review to learn the material.
“It’s important for our customers to know that their drinking water is safe and continues to meet all federal and state requirements, including those for lead,” said Matt Zurbriggen, deputy director for Valparaiso City Services and leader of the Lead-Safe project. Exposure to lead in drinking water has minimal effects on adults but can cause health effects in infants and children under 6 who have been exposed to lead in drinking water for a prolonged period of time. “Our customers and water quality are our top priority. We continue to work with state and federal agencies to reduce the number of water service lines in our community that contain lead,” he said.
Valparaiso City Services has notified 1,803 customers through a mailed postcard that advises them of the potential for lead in their service lines. Of those 1,803 addresses, more than 1,200 are simply unknown due to the need for evaluation, which can be arranged by the resident. The remaining 526 addresses appear to have lead or galvanized steel (which contains lead) in their water service lines and will be programmed for future replacement. Valparaiso City Services will contact affected residents through the mail with additional information and the next steps for the future replacement program. “Our goal is to achieve the best possible outcome for our community with the lead water service line replacement program, both financially and in meeting regulatory requirements,” said Zurbriggen. “We are in the process of developing a program and schedule for these replacements,” he said.
To learn about YOUR address
The City of Valparaiso has created a website with an interactive map that allows residents to enter their address to learn the material of their water service line. Visit the Lead-Safe Valpo website at tinyurl.com/ValpoPost to view the interactive map and find information on ways to reduce your exposure to lead in drinking water, links to federal and state requirements for the Drinking Water Service Line Inventory Program and Valpo’s current approach to future planning.
If your service line is listed as “unknown,” please have it evaluated
If your address is listed as unknown, please visit our web page at tinyurl.com/ValpoReport to schedule a short visit to evaluate your service line OR complete the self-evaluation detailed on that page.