The Commission is pleased to launch its Service Line Inventory Map in advance of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Lead and Cooper Rule Revisions (LCRR) that go into effect October 16, 2024.
The new online map provides each customer with information about their service line. The map also visually showcases the Commission’s proactive efforts since the 1990s to reduce the risk of lead exposure from drinking water, resulting in the elimination of all known lead service lines from the distribution system as of 2005.
Lead and Copper Rule Revisions
The goal of the 2021 Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) is to reduce the risk of lead exposure in drinking water. Lead can enter drinking water through the leaching of lead-containing pipes and internal plumbing, particularly in older homes and buildings. The LCRR incorporates best practices, modern sampling technology, and increased customer education and outreach, with a particular focus on protecting children.
In addition to the online inventory map, the Commission has proactively planned for compliance with the new LCRR standards, including:
- Implementing service line replacement programs (for properties with a service line material requiring replacement)
- Preparing for updated lead monitoring protocols and sampling programs
- Coordinating sampling programs for school and childcare facilities, for which the Commission received a 2024 “Systems Taking Action to Reduce Lead in Schools” award from the Massachusetts Department of Environment of Environmental Protection
Service Line Inventory Map
A drinking water service line connects the home plumbing to the water main in the street. The Commission’s online Service Line Inventory Map provides an inventory of all service lines in the Commission’s distribution system. Residents can search for their address on the interactive map, which will provide a description of the number of services at the property and pipe material information, including:
- Non-Lead: pipe material meets LCRR regulations
- Galvanized Needing Replacement: the service line is made of galvanized material and may require replacement under the Commission’s Galvanized Service Line Replacement Program, in accordance with the LCRR
- Unknown material: an inspection is needed to confirm the material of the pipe
Removing Lead from Springfield and Ludlow
Of approximately 43,000 service lines in Springfield and Ludlow, there are currently no known lead service lines. This is because of the Commission’s extensive efforts starting in the 1990s until 2005 to identify and remove all lead service lines. In more recent years, the Commission has worked on digitizing paper service records and organizing data for inclusion in the online service line inventory.
The upcoming LCRR also requires the identification and replacement of galvanized steel service lines that meet certain criteria. In preparation for the regulatory change, the Commission has removed over 660 galvanized service lines in Springfield and Ludlow since 2021. There are less than 40 galvanized and only 2 unknown service lines remaining in the system, for which customer outreach for identification and replacement is continuing.
Additionally, as part of MassDEP’s LCRR Pilot Program, Commission laboratory staff coordinated closely with personnel at 43 Springfield Public School buildings to support a robust school sampling and notification program. Through this program schools were able to identify internal water fixtures in need of replacement.
“We are very proud of the Commission’s forward-thinking and hard work since the 1990s, but particularly in the past three years, to reduce the risk of lead from the distribution system in Springfield and Ludlow,” said Executive Director Josh Schimmel. “The online map, and all of our proactive work – before the LCRR has even taken effect – illustrates our strong commitment to protecting public health.”
In addition to the removal of lead service pipes, the Commission’s West Parish Filters Water Treatment Plant in Westfield maintains a corrosion control treatment program to minimize the risk of lead leaching from plumbing or home fixtures that may contain lead. Corrosion control is a longstanding, proven method to reduce or eliminate the risk of lead exposure through drinking water.
How Customers Can Take Action
Commission customers in Springfield and Ludlow are encouraged to visit https://waterandsewer.org/education/lead-and-drinking-water/ to view the Service Line Inventory Map and learn about other protective measures they can take in their household.
Customers that find their property identified as galvanized needs replacement or unknown on the map should contact our Field Customer Service Department at 413-310-3501 or cfs@waterandsewer.org to schedule an inspection appointment. Customers may also contact the Commission via these methods at any time with questions about their drinking water service, or for information on the service line material at their property.
Additional Resources
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP): https://www.mass.gov/info-details/lead-and-copper-rule-revisions