BY PEPPER FISHER
Port Angeles – The City of Port Angeles has sent a mailer to all its water customers notifying them that they are required to check their properties for lead water pipes. If lead pipes are found in any part of the system leading to the home or business, the City says those pipes must be replaced to limit exposure to toxic lead poisoning.
The mailer, which went out in April, says the EPA’s Lead and Copper Rule Revisions mandate the program be implemented, and it says everyone in the city service area must participate.
The City is saying customers, (maybe that’s you, maybe that’s your landlord) are responsible for checking to see if the service line from your water meter (usually on the property line) is lead or something else, and report your findings to the city. For the record, Public Works Director Scott Curtin told KONP, “…lead lines these days are pretty rare, more common in homes built prior to 1930.”
The section of pipe from the City’s water main to your meter is the responsibility of the City and will be replaced by them if lead is found. Replacing the line from the meter to the home is the responsibility of the property owner. Curtin added, “If you have known lead plumbing within your home, it would be highly recommended to have this replaced.”
How will you know if your pipe is lead, galvanized or copper? Customers are told to use the scratch test with a screwdriver or something similar. They say lead will have “a shiny gray color”, galvanized is dull gray, and copper is shiny orange/brown. If you’re unsure what you’re seeing, Curtin says “the City will be willing to send someone out to inspect your pipe. City staff will not enter your home or crawl space to perform this task for liability purposes.”
Water customers are advised to direct any questions to Jeff Groves at (360) 417-4855 or email jgroves@cityofpa.us.