Do you have lead or galvanized water pipes? Wichita might need you to figure it out
If you recently received a letter from the city of Wichita telling you that you may have issues with your property’s service line, you’re not alone.
The city sent out more than 40,000 letters to Wichita properties recommending the owners to check and replace lead or galvanized plumbing for drinking water, according to city spokesperson Megan Lovely.
Service lines are used to connect water meters and the city’s water supply to homes. Lead and galvanized pipes can leak lead into drinking water, which can cause several health issues.
“The City of Wichita and the Environmental Protection Agency recommend that all lead and galvanized drinking water plumbing be replaced,” one letter read. “Although the drinking water in the public water lines is safe, lead could get into your drinking water at your home or business if any of your water lines or plumbing fixtures contain lead or galvanized pipe.”
The letters are due to revisions made in October to the Environmental Protection Agency’s lead and copper rule, which added new requirements for lead and galvanized service lines on private property.
The EPA now requires utilities to create lead service line replacement plans by 2027 as well as annual notifications to those with unknown service lines. Lovely said that the city has no known lead water lines that it owns and has been abating old lines since the beginning of new EPA regulations.
On the customer side, there are 16 private homes and businesses in the city with known lead service lines, 5,958 with galvanized lines and 36,115 whose service lines are unknown. Not all of those properties got a letter, however, as some of them don’t have an active water account, Lovely said.
The city initially sent letters to 40,179 properties.
“We’ve also sent several hundred more letters since the initial round, because we are required to notify any new account owner who moves in to one of those locations as well,” Lovely told The Eagle.
Lovely said the city will have replacement plans for customers with outdated pipes either by 2027 or when they identify the remaining unknown service lines — whichever comes first.
There are several other water pipe material options, including copper, PEX, PVC and CPVC.
How can I check the material of my pipes?
To find out what pipe material you have, you can either contact a licensed plumber or you can do so yourself by following the Environmental Protection Agency’s online guide.
Once you have identified the material of your pipes, the city is asking property owners to report it through an online survey.
Lead in drinking water can lead to health problems, like slowed growth and breathing problems in children, issues with pregnancy, decreased kidney function and reproduction issues in adults.
To reduce the risk of lead in water, Wichita recommends to run water through your pipes in the morning before drinking, use a filter and only use cold water for drinking and cooking.
