Lead Service

Lead

Lead is a common, naturally occurring metal that is found throughout the environment in lead-based paint as well as in air, soil, household dust, and, sometimes, water. If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing.

How Lead Gets in Drinking Water

Lead can enter drinking water when service pipes that contain lead corrode, especially where the water has high acidity or low mineral content that corrodes pipes and fixtures. The City of Monroe is responsible for providing high quality drinking water, but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components.

How the City of Monroe Mitigate Lead Exposure?

The City of Monroe water treatment process includes adding a corrosion inhibitor to treated water for addressing elevated lead and copper in water. Approximately 1315 out of the 15,251 customers within our service area have full or partial lead service lines into their homes and require field verification. These service lines can be a source of lead leaching from the pipes.  The City of Monroe has been in all regulatory compliance with past lead sampling.

What Can You Do?

When your water has been sitting for several hours, you can minimize the potential for lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. If you are concerned about lead in your water, you may wish to have your water tested. Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline or at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.

How Can I Find Out If I Have Lead In My Water?

The City of Monroe has been in all regulatory compliance with past lead sampling. Customers curious as to their lead levels at the tap can buy a consumer lead testing kit and test their water themselves. The Water Department can help customers with interpreting test results. The Water Department lead sample testing costs approximately $50 each. Eliminating lead service lines is the best long-term solution to the problem of lead in drinking water. We do replace lead service lines every year in conjunction with local street construction and other maintenance projects and otherwise as budget and time permits.

Suspected Locations with Lead Service

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