Looking for lead

Sundance residents will soon be asked for their help to determine whether any lead is present in the water pipes that lead to their homes.

The city is in the process of creating a complete inventory of every service line within its water system, a requirement from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as part of changes being made to its rules on lead and copper in public drinking water systems.

“We really need your help,” says Public Works Director Mac Erickson.

At this time, according to Erickson, around 300 of the city’s utility customers remain on the list and will receive a survey through the mail.

The department has already been able to test for the presence of lead for the other 400 customers, either during water meter work in the home or through previous records.

For those remaining, the process is simple. Customers will be asked to make a scratch on the pipe where it enters the residence to determine whether it is dull or shiny, and to see whether a magnet sticks to the pipe.

Lead will turn a shiny silver color when scratched and a magnet will not stick to it.

Full instructions are included on the survey.

“If you are not comfortable doing this, we are willing to come identify it for you,” says Erickson. “It would only take a couple of minutes.”

Erickson is not expecting to find much lead, but the EPA still requires that the city prove it is not there.

Lead is more likely to be present on steel lines built during the 1950s, and much less likely to be present on anything built after 1989 when lead solder was banned and the amount of lead in brass fittings was reduced.

The deadline to complete this inventory is approaching, Erickson says, and Public Works would greatly appreciate the assistance.

Once the inventory is complete, Erickson expects that the EPA will require the city to replace a percentage of any lead and copper material found within the system each year.