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For media inquiries, please contact Kimberly Mazza, Public Information Supervisor, Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, at 307-777-7753 or [email protected].
Lead Service Line Update for Water Systems: State Issues “Lead Status Unknown” Notification Requirements
[Statewide, WY, Oct. 8, 2024] -- The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and the Wyoming Office of State Lands and Investments (OSLI) are alerting community water systems across the state about a critical compliance requirement under the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR). Water systems must notify customers whose service lines are categorized as “lead”, “galvanized requiring replacement”, and “lead status unknown” to improve communication that informs Wyoming residents of the potential preventable dangers of lead exposure.
Beginning Oct. 16, community water systems will be required to provide notification to all customers served by service lines categorized as “lead”, “galvanized requiring replacement”, and “lead status unknown” in the system’s water service line inventory. This information is intended to help owners and/or occupants make decisions on what actions to take to reduce their potential exposure to consuming water served by pipes known or potentially containing lead. Compliance with this new regulation is essential, considering no amount of lead exposure is safe, and water systems play a critical role in protecting their communities from this threat to public health.
Below is a summary of key points for Wyoming water systems to comply with this requirement:
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Notification Deadline: Systems must provide initial notifications within 30 days of completing their service line inventory, but no earlier than Oct. 16. For systems completing their inventory by the Oct. 16 deadline, notifications must be sent by Nov.15.
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Content Requirements: According to the EPA’s requirements, notifications to customers who submitted “lead status unknown” must include:
- A statement that the service line material is unknown but may be lead
- An explanation of the health effects of lead
- Steps customers can take to reduce exposure to lead in drinking water
- Information about opportunities to verify the material of the service line
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Delivery Method: Notifications must be provided by mail or another method approved by the DEQ.
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Ongoing Requirements: Annual notifications are required until the service line material is identified and confirmed not to be lead or galvanized requiring replacement.
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Templates Provided: Templates have been prepared by the EPA for notifications. Located at the bottom of this webpage: Notification of Known or Potential Service Line Containing Lead | US EPA
Supporting Resources for Water Systems To assist water systems with compliance, the Wyoming DEQ has launched a resource hub at www.wyriskit.com, where systems can access:
- A survey for water customers to help identify their service line materials.
- Training materials and webinars to guide water systems through the notification process.
Wyoming DEQ encourages all community water systems to complete their service line inventory promptly, notify their customers about any potential risks, and ensure compliance with the EPA’s Lead and Copper Rule Revisions. Water systems can join the project’s email distribution list for regular updates by contacting [email protected].
WY Risk It? Learn More About Lead Service Lines at leadfreewyoming.com or www.wyriskit.com.
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