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Water Service Line Inventory

Project Description: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued new requirements under the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) to strengthen protections from the health effects of lead in drinking water. One goal of these new requirements is to replace the remaining lead-containing water pipes across the country that were historically used when older homes were built. North Bay Village is excited to be part of this proactive, nationwide initiative. We are developing an inventory of the water service lines in our distribution system, from the water main in the street to the tap in your home, to determine if any lead-containing materials remain. The initial inventory is expected to be completed this October (2024). Stay tuned for more information about this ongoing effort.
Project Location: Village-wide
Water service lines are underground pipes that connect private properties to the Village’s water main and deliver water to customers. North Bay Village owns the portion of the water service line from the water main to the property line, and the property owners own the portion of the water service line from their property line to their tap. If you live in an apartment building or condominium, ownership of water service lines is typically split between the building owner and the tenant. The pipes inside an individual unit and immediately outside are usually the tenant’s responsibility, while the pipes in public areas are the building owner’s responsibility. Most apartment and condominiums have detailed schematics that show which pipes are owned by whom.
 
A Lead Service Line is a water service line that is completely or partially made of lead components, such as the pipes that connect to your house, lead solder (commonly used to connect copper piping) and brass fixtures on water meters, faucets, valves, and fittings. A Lead Service Line may be owned by the water system, owned by the property owner, or both.
 
In 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revised the Lead and Copper Rule, which is a series of regulations to protect public health by reducing the potential for lead exposure through drinking water. The revisions added new protective measures to reduce lead exposure from the nation’s public water systems and from plumbing in private homes and businesses. Part of these protective measures requires community water suppliers to conduct an inventory of their water service lines by October 2024
Lead is not found in the drinking water that leaves the Village’s water treatment facilities, but it can, although rarely, leach into water from any Lead Service Lines and connections, or from household pluming materials, that contain lead. The EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Act of 1986 prohibited the use of pipe, solder, and flux that were not “lead-free” and directed states to enforce this provision through state or local plumbing codes. Florida implemented this provision in the Florida Administrative Code on January 18, 1989, with a two-year implementation period. As a result, homes built in or after 1991 are far less likely to have lead pipes or lead solder, but there is a possibility that lead-containing service lines or connections remain in some portions of the water system.
 
There are a few options: Contact a licensed plumber to determine if the pipe that connects your home to the water main (called a service line) is made of lead. Perform a Materials Verification Test on your water service line where it connects to the water meter. Check out the EPA’s Protect Your Tap: A Quick Check for Lead (https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/protect-your-tap-quick-check-lead) online tool for a step by-step guide to help identify lead pipes. Purchase a lead test kit at a hardware or home improvement store. Look for an EPA recognized kit.
Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. The Village Water Department is responsible for providing high-quality drinking water but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components. Customers who wish to have their water sampled can hire a private laboratory. For a list of laboratories approved for drinking water analysis, go to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) website (https://floridadep.gov/dear/florida-dep-laboratory/content/nelap-certified-laboratory-searchand) search under “NELAP Certified Laboratory Search.” Depending on how many contaminants you wish to test for, a water test can cost from $15 to hundreds of dollars. The Safe Drinking Water Hotline (1-800-426-4791) can give you information on testing methods.
You should stop using the water immediately and find an alternate source of water until the issue is resolved. Contact a licensed plumber to determine if the pipe that connects your home to the water main is made from lead. EPA recommends you also contact your local water system and health department.
Learn about lead in drinking water and how to limit your exposure by using this web page. Some steps you can take at home include: Run your water to flush out lead. If water hasn’t been used in several hours, run water for 15 to 30 seconds or until it becomes cold or reaches a steady temperature before using it for drinking or cooking. This helps flush lead-containing water from the interior plumbing. Use cold water for cooking and preparing baby formula. Do not cook with or drink water from the hot water tap, lead dissolves more easily into hot water. Do not use water from the hot water tap to make baby formula. Do not boil water to remove lead. Boiling water will not reduce lead. Look for alternative sources or treatment of water. You may want to consider purchasing a water filter or bottled water. Read the package to be sure the filter is approved to reduce lead or contact the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) International at 800-NSF-MARK or www.nsf.org for information on performance standards for water filters. To help maximize water quality, be sure to maintain and replace a filter device in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations. Test your water for lead. If you think you may have elevated lead levels in your home drinking water, have it tested. For a list of laboratories approved for drinking water analysis, go to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) website (https://floridadep.gov/dear/florida-dep-laboratory/content/nelap-certified-laboratory-searchand) and search under “NELAP Certified Laboratory Search.” Depending on how many contaminants you wish to test for, a water test can cost from $15 to hundreds of dollars. Call the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1- 800-426-4791 for more information. Get your child’s blood tested. If you are concerned about exposure to lead, contact your local health department or health care provider to find out how you can get your child tested. o Identify and replace plumbing fixtures containing lead. Brass faucets, fittings, and valves, including those advertised as “lead-free,” may contribute to lead in your drinking water. The law currently establishes the definition for “lead-free” as the weighted average of 0.25% lead calculated across the wetted surfaces of a pipe, pipe fitting, plumbing fitting, and fixture and 0.2% lead for solder and flux. Visit the NSF International website at www.nsf.org to learn more about lead-containing plumbing fixtures. Learn about construction in your neighborhood. Be aware of any construction or maintenance work that could disturb your lead service line. Construction may cause more lead to be released from a Lead Service Line. Clean your aerator. Regularly clean your faucet’s screen (also known as an aerator). Sediment, debris, and lead particles can collect in your aerator. If lead particles are caught in the aerator, lead can get into your water. Use your filter properly. If you use a filter, make sure you use a filter certified to remove lead. Read the directions to learn how to properly install and use your cartridge and when to replace it. EPA has developed a consumer tool to identify point-of-use drinking water filters certified to reduce lead at: EPA Tool for Identifying Point of Use (POU) Drinking Water Filters. (https://www.epa.gov/water-research/consumer-tool-identifying-point-use-and-pitcher-filters-certified-reduce-lead)
There is no safe level of lead in drinking water. Exposure to lead in drinking water can cause serious health effects in all age groups, especially pregnant people, infants (both formula-fed and breastfed), and young children. Contact your health care provider for more information about your risks.
Exposure to lead in drinking water can cause serious health effects in all age groups. Infants and children can have decreases in IQ and attention span. Lead exposure can lead to new learning and behavior problems or exacerbate existing learning and behavior problems. The children of women who are exposed to lead before or during pregnancy can have increased risk of these adverse health effects. Adults can have increased risks of heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney, or nervous system problems.
The Village purchases its drinking water from the Miami-Dade County Water and Sewer Division (WASD). To ensure the safety of drinking water supplied to residents of the Village, Miami-Dade WASD personnel routinely monitor for contaminants in drinking water according to federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations. Highly trained microbiologists, chemists, and water treatment specialists collect and analyze water samples regularly at the treatment facilities, sample sites throughout the service area, and even customers’ homes. Important information from these monitoring efforts is published each year in the Village’s Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) that is made available at www.northbayvillage-fl.gov.
Lead is a common metal found in the environment. Drinking water is one possible source of lead exposure. The main sources of lead exposure are lead-based paint and lead-contaminated dust or soil, and some plumbing materials. In addition, lead can be found in certain types of pottery, pewter, brass fixtures, food, and cosmetics. Other sources include exposure in the workplace from certain hobbies (lead can be carried on clothing or shoes). Lead is found in some toys, some playground equipment, and some children’s metal jewelry. Brass faucets, fittings, and valves, including those advertised as “lead-free,” may contribute lead to drinking water. The law currently establishes the definition for “lead-free” as the weighted average of 0.25% lead calculated across the wetted surfaces of a pipe, pipe fitting, plumbing fitting, and fixture and 0.2% lead for solder and flux. The water pumped from the Biscayne Aquifer and provided to the Village’s water customers does not contain lead. Lead can enter drinking water when plumbing materials that contain lead corrode, especially where the water has high acidity or low mineral content that corrodes pipes and fixtures. The most common sources of lead in drinking water are lead pipes [or service lines], faucets, and fixtures. When water is in contact for several hours with pipes or plumbing that contains lead, the lead may enter the drinking water. Homes built before 1986 are more likely to have plumbing containing lead. New homes may also have lead; even “lead-free” plumbing may contain some lead. Among homes without Lead Service Lines, the most common problem is with brass or chrome-plated brass faucets and plumbing with lead solder.
The service line replacement cost is very site specific but can range anywhere from $75 to $225 per foot of service line. The actual cost of replacement reflects a number of factors including the length of the service line (homes set further back from the road tend to pay higher amounts because they have longer lines), the technique used to install the new service line, the materials used, and the built environment where the service line is located.
Lead services lines on a customer’s property are the responsibility of the property owner to replace at their expense. The Village strongly advises that you contact a licensed plumber for work on your service line. The Village is working to complete an inventory of the water service lines and replace any remaining service lines with lead-containing materials up to the private property boundary within the next ten years.
For more information on reducing lead exposure around your home/building and the health effects of lead, visit the EPA’s website at www.epa.gov/lead, visit the FDEP’s lead in drinking water website at https://floridadep.gov/water/source-drinking-water/content/monitoring-lead-andcopper-florida-drinking-water, (https://floridadep.gov/water/source-drinking-water/content/monitoring-lead-and-copper-florida-drinking-water) or contact your health care provider.

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