Help Durham Eliminate Lead Exposure in City Drinking Water

Want a $30 credit on your city water bill?

Durham’s Department of Water Management is spearheading a crucial initiative in the nationwide endeavor to safeguard consumers against lead exposure in drinking water.

As mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Lead and Copper Rule Revision, it’s imperative for water service providers to catalog the composition of all water service lines within their systems. To disseminate crucial information regarding the service line inventory and the nuances of the Lead and Copper Rule Revision, a series of public outreach meetings is slated to commence this week:

• Tuesday, March 26: Durham Main Library (Auditorium), 300 N. Roxboro Street, 6 p.m., GoDurham Bus Routes 3, 3B, 3C, 4, 9A, 9B, 9 (A Spanish language interpreter will be available at this session.)
• Wednesday, April 3: North Regional Library, 221 Milton Road, 6 p.m., GoDurham Bus Route 9B .
• Wednesday, April 24: Community Family Life & Recreation Center at Lyon Park, 1309 Halley Street, 6 p.m., GoDurham Bus Routes 10 and 10B .

Don Greeley, the director of Durham Water Management, emphasizes the department’s dedication to delivering clean, high-quality water to all residents while actively safeguarding customer health.

In line with the EPA’s stipulations, Durham Water is tasked with discerning the service line material both on the public and private sectors of the water meter. This includes a comprehensive effort involving historical records, GIS data, and building permits, among other resources, with a notable identification of approximately 53% of the service line materials in Durham as of March 11, 2024.

Eligibility for a $30 credit on the Durham water bill is contingent upon whether Durham Water has previously identified the material of a property’s service line. Notably, properties constructed post-1988 are assuredly free from lead service lines. With the aid of CDM Smith, Inc., Durham Water introduces the leadCAST portal, an interactive map showcasing the service line materials across Durham properties. Property owners are encouraged to visit the Service Line Inventory site to determine their eligibility for the water bill credit, especially in neighborhoods where service line materials remain undetermined.

Efforts to facilitate customer identification of their water service line material have led to the creation of informative flyers, available in both English and Spanish.

The EPA’s Lead and Copper Rule, established in 1991 and revised in January 2021, seeks to diminish lead and copper exposure in drinking water. This initiative encompasses a broad spectrum of new requirements for water utilities, emphasizing consumer awareness, service line inventories, and public health communication.

Durham Water’s compliance includes submitting a comprehensive service line inventory to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality by Oct. 16, 2024.

For additional information, the public is encouraged to visit www.leadsafedurham.org or contact (984) 242-3012.

Support ultra-local community news! Subscribe to Southpoint Access on Patreon!