Your home is served by a service line that may be lead.
Water systems are now required to inventory all water service line materials and identify any water service line containing lead or lead materials. Our most recent inventory has determined that a portion of or the entire water pipe (called a service line) that connects your home or building to the water main are of unknown material classification. Unknown means that the service line could be lead. Please note the Town’s water mains do not contain lead. Still, some water services in the water distribution system consist of lead materials or do not have the service material documented. The Water Department is committed to providing its customers the safest drinking water possible. Part of that commitment includes notifying customers of a known lead water service or a water service where the service material is unknown. While the Town’s water treatment process protects the pipes to mitigate the potential for lead to leach into the water system, and the Water Department regularly tests the water system for lead, our goal is to remove any lead pipes from the water system to ensure we provide you with the safest drinking water possible
As a precaution, here is information on the health effects of lead and steps to reduce your exposure. If your service line is confirmed as lead, the Town will share information on financial help to remove it and replace it with one made of a safer material.
Health effects of lead.
There is no safe level of lead in drinking water. Exposure to lead in drinking water can cause serious health effects in all age groups, especially pregnant people, infants (both formula-fed and breastfed), and young children. Some health effects on infants and children include IQ and decreases in attention span. Lead exposure can also result in new or worsened learning and behavior problems. The children of persons who are exposed to lead before or during pregnancy may be at increased risk of these harmful health effects. Adults have increased risks of heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney or nervous system problems. Contact your healthcare provider for more information about your risks.
Until the material of your service line is confirmed and any lead is removed, use the following steps to reduce exposure to lead in drinking water.
Opportunities to Verify Lead Service Materials
The town will be performing a meter replacement program starting in 2025 and will verify the water service material at your meter during this work. If you would like to be informed of the material of your service line, you can contact the Water Department at dmarcure@plainville.ma.us after the meter replacement work at your property is complete.
For MassDEP information on Lead in Drinking Water see https://www.mass.gov/lead-in-drinking-water
If you have any questions on this potential lead in drinking water topic, the Town is holding an informational meeting for Lead Service Lines at the Senior Center, 9 School Street, Plainville, MA 02762 on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, at 10:00 a.m.
For more information, or if you have questions on how to verify the material of your service line, contact Dennis Marcure at dmarcure@plainville.ma.us
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
The Town and homeowners have a shared responsibility to protect drinking water from lead sources. While we do not know of any lead pipes in our distribution system, customers—particularly those in older homes—may have lead plumbing or pipes joined with lead solder. You can learn more about the pipe material in your home and help the Town meet the requirements of the LCRR by inspecting your home plumbing and reporting the pipe material in your water service line coming into your home.
HOW TO DETERMINE WHAT TYPE OF PLUMBING I HAVE?
Follow the guidance below or contact a licensed plumber to determine the material of your water pipes. To identify the material of your service pipe on private property, check your household water service connection, typically located in the basement. Homeowners should identify and replace \old household pipes, particularly galvanized plumbing and sources of lead. The type of household plumbing can vary throughout your household.
HOW DO I REPORT MY FINDINGS?
Please email Dennis Marcure at Dmarcure@plainville.ma.us