Families across the U.S., including in Massachusetts, have been receiving potentially unsettling notices warning them about potential lead in their home's plumbing system.
The Environmental Protection Agency clarified that these letters are not indicative of immediate changes in water quality, rather part of a nationwide effort to comply with new safety standards.
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Water notices sent to families nationwide
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Many letters state, “Your water service line material is unknown but may contain lead.”
Haverhill Mayor Melinda Barrett acknowledged that the notices may be alarming.
“The letter is alarming, and I guess the [Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection] and EPA really wanted it to be, because they wanted to get people off the dime, you know, and check out their service,” she said.
The EPA encourages recipients to contact their public works department and consider testing their water for lead as a precaution.
Aging infrastructure
Massachusetts' older cities and homes contribute to the region's higher prevalence of lead service lines, the EPA New England’s Chief of Drinking Water Quality and Protection said. In Haverhill, city officials identified lead in about 300 homes and were unable to determine the material for around 7,000 homes.
Medford Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn explained that the city is being proactive about searching for lead.
“The city is actively going out, one street at a time, digging 4x4 sections to check if lead lines service homes,” she said.
Lungo-Koehn also emphasized that "unknown material" does not necessarily mean lead contamination. She noted that water is treated to prevent lead from entering homes, no matter the material.
Shared responsibility, financial assistance
Responsibility for replacing lead service lines lies with whose property they're in: the local government or homeowners. To support compliance, the EPA is offering $35 million in grant funding for cities that can then be used to help. However, financial aid varies by location.
In Medford, for example, homeowners can receive a $1,000 rebate from the city, and the city will also replace the municipal portion of the service line shortly thereafter.
Congress banned the use of lead pipes in 1986, but homes built before then may still have lead service lines in use.
"It's a good thing. We got to get the lead out. But it's time, money, resources to get that done," Haverhill Public Works Director Rob Ward said.
Information on the program and resources can be found here. Check with your local public works department for information specific to your area.
The EPA provides these resources for families to navigate potential lead exposure.
