Do you have a lead service line?
To comply with the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) regulations, every City/Village/Municipality in the United States is required to compile an inventory of the material of the water service lines within their jurisdiction. We need everyone's help to accomplish this!
How to Determine if You Have a Lead Service
Check your records. Have you completed maintenance on your service line? Do you know when your home was built? If you home is older than 1988 and has the original service line or plumbing, then your home may have a lead service line or a lead component.
Above: lead goose neck connected Above: black poly, blue poly, white
to a steel pipe PVC, copper & galvanized steel
Inspect the service line yourself. You can save time and money and inspect the service line yourself. These lines typically enter your home through the wall facing the street on the lowest level but setup can be unique to each home. If you do not own your home, please contact the homeowner for this information.
Is it lead? Start with a magnet or scratch test. Gently scratch the surface of the pipe with a coin. If the pipe is soft, easily scraped, silver, and a magnet doesn't stick, it is most likely lead.
If not lead, then what?
- Does a magnet stick? If so and the line is dull grey when scratched, this portion of the service line is galvanzied steel.
- If the magnet doesn't stick, it is the same color as a penny when scratched or has greenish blue build up, this portion of hte service line is copper.
- If the magnet doesn't stick, it is white-ish yellow or grey, is joined with a clamp, screw or glue, this portion of the service line is plastic or chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC).
If you are still unsure about the materials present and have questions, contact City Hall at 402-944-3387. You can also take a photo of the pipe/line and either email it to ubclerk@ashland-ne.com or text it to 402-890-3174 with your name and address. This is a cell phone number being used for this program.
Service Line Material Form
Answer a few questions to protect your family's health and help the City of Ashland Utility Department identifying the drinking water service line materials in the community. If you've already returned your form to the City, no need to do it again. If you're unsure if you have, please check with City Hall at 402-944-3387 or return the form.
Adverse Health Effects of Lead
Drinking water that contains lead can damage a developing brain. It is especially harmful for children 6 and under and in adults, lead can increase blood pressure.
Source of Lead
The City of Ashland Utility Department tests for lead levels regularly. The source of lead in drinking water is often within the lead pipes and plumbing components in the service lines or indoor plumbing of the home or business.
Service Lines
Drinking water for your home is delivered from the water main to your home by a service line. Service lines can contain lead. Identifying homes with lead service lines or lead components is crucial because corrosion of these materials over time can cause lead to accumulate in your drinking water.
Take Action Now
Be a part of the solution. This is a large project and the City of Ashland Utility Department needs your help and thanks you for your assistance! This is an EPA required inventory that is country wide that every utility system must do.
