In response to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules, officials with the City of Wheeling’s Water Department are asking residents and business owners to complete a Service Line Inventory Survey, the primary purpose being to identify homes/buildings that have lead water service lines. The survey is available on the City’s website at https://www.wheelingwv.gov/WaterServiceLineInventory. A hard copy of the survey can be obtained by calling (304) 234-3849 or by emailing water@wheelingwv.gov.
Water Superintendent Lori Siburt explained the service line is the water line that runs from the meter into your home or business, or from the property line to your home or business. There are diagrams on the survey webpage that provide some guidance for those who are unsure.
“The primary purpose of the EPA’s ruling is to identify structures that have lead water service lines. These were commonly installed in homes and buildings constructed prior to 1986. If you are not the owner of the residence or business, you may complete this survey or notify the owner and request that they complete the inventory,” she said.
Siburt said there is a simple three step process for completing the inventory which includes locating your service line, identifying the water service line material and reporting the results by completing the survey. The survey webpage also provides some steps that property owners can take to identify the water service line material if they are unsure.
“If you believe that you have identified a lead water service line, the Wheeling Water Department will contact you upon completing the survey. We will discuss with you options available for moving forward,” she said.
Siburt noted that having a lead pipe in your home does not necessarily equate to lead exposure. However, action is needed because elevated levels of lead can be hazardous, especially for pregnant women and young children with the best solution being to remove the lead service line.
“The Wheeling Water Department uses an anti-corrosion chemical that prevents lead and other metals in the pipes from leaching into the water. What this corrosion inhibitor does is coat the inside of lead pipes and fixtures with a thin, protective layer that reduces leaching and flaking,” she said.
Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods and steps that can be taken to minimize exposure is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791 or via email at www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.
Those with questions about the Water Service Line inventory should contact the Water Department at (304) 234-3849 or by emailing water@wheelingwv.gov.
