No Lead In Town’s Water Service Lines

Source: amherstma.gov

The Amherst Department of Public Works has released the results of its Water Service Line Inventory as required by the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Revised Lead and Copper Rule. Under this regulation, every water supplier in the country must complete an inventory of each water service line in their system. 

A water service line is the piping between the main water line in the street and a residential/commercial/academic/etc. building. The piping typically has a section from the main water line in the street to the curb box and a section from the curb box to the building. In Amherst, water service lines are entirely owned and maintained by the property owner from the main water line to the building.   

Inventory Findings
The inventory findings indicate most water service lines in Amherst are non-lead containing and consist of copper, iron, plastic, brass, and galvanized piping. Only 1 water service line was identified as consisting of lead with 300 (3.96%) still being unknown. 

Properties where the water service line is currently categorized as unknown or suspected of containing lead will be receiving letters from the town discussing next steps. The Town will continue to work with property owners to identify all water service lines currently categorized as unknown piping material. Property owners can help the town with this work by filling out the Amherst Service Line Survey. The survey guides residents through finding their water service line and identifying the material type and size of the pipe.  

The full inventory is accessible to the public online at www.amherstma.gov/waterSLI. Properties are listed in the inventory by their water account number which residents can find on their water bill or by contacting the Department of Public Works at 413-259-3050 or publicworks@amherstma.gov.  If there is an error in the information listed for your property, please contact the Department of Public Works. 

Background Information
As part of the EPA’s revised Lead and Copper Rule, public water suppliers in the United States are required to put together a full inventory of the drinking water service line materials that make up their water system. This information will help municipalities locate pipes that need replacement and areas of the town for lead and copper sampling. This dovetails into the recently published Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI), which will require drinking water systems across the country to identify and replace lead pipes within the next 10 years. 

Learn more about the inventory, future actions, and the health effects of lead on the Town of Amherst’s Water Service Line Inventory at www.amherstma.gov/waterSLI. 

Corp to Curb Materials: 

Brass: 7 total, 0.09% 

Copper: 5490 total, 72.47% 

Galvanized: 14 total, 0.18% 

Iron: 1657 total, 21.87% 

Lead: 1 total, 0.01% 

Plastic: 107 total, 1.41% 

Unknown: 300 total, 3.96% 

Curb to Structure Materials:

Brass: 28 total, 0.37% 

Copper: 5221 total, 68.91% 

Galvanized: 46 total, 0.61% 

Iron: 1639 total, 21.59% 

Lead: 0 total, 0.00% 

Plastic: 354 total, 4.55% 

Unknown: 300, 3.96%