Sunday, October 6, 2024–7:47 p.m.
-David Crowder, WRGA News-
Water systems across the county have until October 16 to comply with lead and copper rule revisions as outlined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The Rome Water and Sewer System will meet that deadline.
These requirements include the initial service line inventory; notification to persons served of known or potential lead service line, Tier 1 public notification of a lead action level exceedance, and associated reporting requirements.
The lead and copper rule initially went into effect in 1991. At that time, the City of Rome had to do three years of monitoring. Since then, Rome has been on reduced monitoring with no problems or no issues. According to Rome Water and Sewer Division Director John Boyd, these new guidelines stem from the water crisis in Flint, Michigan that began in 2014.
“They were using a corrosion inhibitor, they change sources, cut some things off, and lead leached into the water, creating a lot of havoc there,” he said.”That created a wave for the nation of new rules and guidelines.”
According to Boyd, much of the required data was gathered during the meter change-out program.
“We still had to identify about 6,000 accounts in-house,” he said. “In total, we have a little over 20,000 accounts or services that were identified. So, we are a system that will be able to say we have identified every line out there. We have no unknowns because an unknown would be classified as a lead service.”
Unfortunately, Rome has a lot of galvanized lines in its system, so there are going to be around 1,500 customers who are going to get letters telling them that they have galvanized lines, but it cannot be proven whether or not they were downstream of a lead service.
“No system can prove that is wasn’t,” Boyd said. “We did not come across any lead services. The lead joints that are on the larger parts are not considered contact with lead because it’s not in contact with the water. Even the old goosenecks that they used to use to attach at the mean are not considered lead service. A lead service is a true lead service, and we didn’t have any of that.”
Anyone who gets a letter can contact the water and sewer department if they have any questions.
Rome received a $200,000 grant from the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority, so the work did not cost the city anything except time and effort. For the work, the water and sewer department partnered with 120Water, a company that assists governments to execute water safety, compliance, and wastewater monitoring programs.
Even after the initial data is turned in, the city is required to update it on a yearly basis.
According to the EPA, lead and copper enter drinking water primarily through plumbing materials. Exposure to lead and copper may cause health problems ranging from stomach distress to brain damage.