Illinois Administrative Code › Title 35 - ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION › Part 611 - PRIMARY DRINKING WATER STANDARDS › Subpart AG - INTERIM LEAD AND COPPER RULES › Appendix E - Mandatory Lead Public Education Information for Community Water Systems

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 28, July 12, 2024
1) INTRODUCTION
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and
				  (insert name of water supplier) are concerned about lead in your drinking
				  water. Although most homes have very low levels of lead in their drinking
				  water, some homes in the community have lead levels above the USEPA action
				  level of 15 parts per billion (ppb), or 0.015 milligrams of lead per liter of
				  water (mg/l). Under Federal law we are required to have a program in place to
				  minimize lead in your drinking water by (insert date when corrosion control
				  will be completed for your system). This program includes corrosion control
				  treatment, source water treatment, and public education. We are also required
				  to replace the portion of each lead service line that we own if the line
				  contributes lead concentrations of more than 15 ppb after we have completed the
				  comprehensive treatment program. If you have any questions about how we are
				  carrying out the requirements of the lead regulation please give us a call at
				  (insert water system's phone number). This brochure explains the simple steps
				  you can take to protect you and your family by reducing your exposure to lead
				  in drinking water.
2) HEALTH EFFECTS OF LEAD
Lead is a common metal found throughout the environment in
				  lead-based paint; air; soil; household dust; food; certain types of pottery,
				  porcelain, and pewter; and water. Lead can pose a significant risk to your
				  health if too much of it enters your body. Lead builds up in the body over many
				  years and can cause damage to the brain, red blood cells, and kidneys. The
				  greatest risk is to young children and pregnant women. Amounts of lead that
				  won't hurt adults can slow down normal mental and physical development of
				  growing bodies. In addition, a child at play often comes into contact with
				  sources of lead contamination - like dirt and dust - that rarely affect an
				  adult. It is important to wash children's hands and toys often, and to try to
				  make sure they only put food in their mouths.
3) LEAD IN DRINKING WATER
A) Lead in drinking water, although rarely the
				  sole cause of lead poisoning, can significantly increase a person's total lead
				  exposure, particularly the exposure of infants who drink baby formulas and
				  concentrated juices that are mixed with water. The EPA estimates that drinking
				  water can make up 20 percent or more of a person's total exposure to
				  lead.
B) Lead is unusual among drinking water
				  contaminants in that it seldom occurs naturally in water supplies like rivers
				  and lakes. Lead enters drinking water primarily as a result of the corrosion,
				  or wearing away, of materials containing lead in the water distribution system
				  and household plumbing. These materials include lead-based solder used to join
				  copper pipe, brass and chrome plated brass faucets, and in some cases, pipes
				  made of lead that connect your house to the water main (service lines). In
				  1986, Congress banned the use of lead solder containing greater than 0.2 %
				  lead, and restricted the lead content of faucets, pipes and other plumbing
				  materials to 8.0 %.
C) When water stands in lead pipes or plumbing
				  systems containing lead for several hours or more, the lead may dissolve into
				  your drinking water. This means the first water drawn from the tap in the
				  morning, or later in the afternoon after returning from work or school, can
				  contain fairly high levels of lead.
4) STEPS YOU CAN TAKE IN THE HOME TO REDUCE EXPOSURE TO LEAD
				  IN DRINKING WATER
A) Despite our best efforts mentioned earlier to
				  control water corrosivity and remove lead from the water supply, lead levels in
				  some homes or buildings can be high. To find out whether you need to take
				  action in your own home, have your drinking water tested to determine if it
				  contains excessive concentrations of lead. Testing the water is essential
				  because you cannot see, taste, or smell lead in drinking water. Some local
				  laboratories that can provide this service are listed at the end of this
				  booklet. For more information on having your water tested, please call (insert
				  phone number of water system).
B) If a water test indicates that the drinking
				  water drawn from a tap in your home contains lead above 15 ppb, then you should
				  take the following precautions:
i) Let the water run from the tap before using it
				  for drinking or cooking any time the water in a faucet has gone unused for more
				  than six hours. The longer water resides in your home's plumbing the more lead
				  it may contain. Flushing the tap means running the cold water faucet until the
				  water gets noticeably colder, usually about 15-30 seconds. If your house has a
				  lead service line to the water main, you may have to flush the water for a
				  longer time, perhaps one minute, before drinking. Although toilet flushing or
				  showering flushes water through a portion of your home's plumbing system, you
				  still need to flush the water in each faucet before using it for drinking or
				  cooking. Flushing tap water is a simple and inexpensive measure you can take to
				  protect your family's health. It usually uses less than one or two gallons of
				  water and costs less than (insert a cost estimate based on flushing two times a
				  day for 30 days) per month. To conserve water, fill a couple of bottles for
				  drinking water after flushing the tap, and whenever possible use the first
				  flush water to wash the dishes or water the plants. If you live in a high-rise
				  building, letting the water flow before using it may not work to lessen your
				  risk from lead. The plumbing systems have more, and sometimes larger pipes than
				  smaller buildings. Ask your landlord for help in locating the source of the
				  lead and for advice on reducing the lead level.
ii) Try not to cook with or drink water from the
				  hot water tap. Hot water can dissolve more lead more quickly than cold water.
				  If you need hot water, draw water from the cold tap and heat it on the
				  stove.
iii) Remove loose lead solder and debris from the
				  plumbing materials installed in newly constructed homes, or homes in which the
				  plumbing has recently been replaced, by removing the faucet strainers from all
				  taps and running the water from 3 to 5 minutes. Thereafter, periodically remove
				  the strainers and flush out any debris that has accumulated over time.
iv) If your copper pipes are joined with lead
				  solder that has been installed illegally since it was banned in 1986, notify
				  the plumber who did the work and request that he or she replace the lead solder
				  with lead-free solder. Lead solder looks dull gray, and when scratched with a
				  key looks shiny. In addition, notify the Illinois Environmental Protection
				  Agency about the violation.
v) Determine whether or not the service line that
				  connects your home or apartment to the water main is made of lead. The best way
				  to determine if your service line is made of lead is by either hiring a
				  licensed plumber to inspect the line or by contacting the plumbing contractor
				  who installed the line. You can identify the plumbing contractor by checking
				  the city's record of building permits which should be maintained in the files
				  of the (insert name of department that issues building permits). A licensed
				  plumber can at the same time check to see if your home's plumbing contains lead
				  solder, lead pipes, or pipe fittings that contain lead. The public water system
				  that delivers water to your home should also maintain records of the materials
				  located in the distribution system. If the service line that connects your
				  dwelling to the water main contributes more than 15 ppb to drinking water,
				  after our comprehensive treatment program is in place, we are required to
				  replace the portion of the line that we own. If the line is only partially
				  owned by the (insert name of the city, county, or water system that controls
				  the line), we are required to provide the owner of the privately-owned portion
				  of the line with information on how to replace the privately-owned portion of
				  the service line, and offer to replace that portion of the line at the owner's
				  expense. If we replace only the portion of the line that we own, we also are
				  required to notify you in advance and provide you with information on the steps
				  that you can take to minimize exposure to any temporary increase in lead levels
				  which may result from the partial replacement, to take a follow-up sample at
				  our expense from the line within 72 hours after the partial replacement, and to
				  mail or otherwise provide you with the results of that sample within three
				  business days after receiving the results. Acceptable replacement alternatives
				  include copper, steel, iron, and plastic pipes.
vi) Have an electrician check your wiring. If
				  grounding wires from the electrical system are attached to your pipes,
				  corrosion may be greater. Check with a licensed electrician or your local
				  electrical code to determine if your wiring can be grounded elsewhere. DO NOT
				  attempt to change the wiring yourself because improper grounding can cause
				  electrical shock and fire hazards.
C) The steps described above will reduce the lead
				  concentrations in your drinking water. However, if a water test indicates that
				  the drinking water coming from your tap contains lead concentrations in excess
				  of 15 ppb after flushing, or after we have completed our actions to minimize
				  lead levels, then you may want to take the following additional measures:
i) Purchase or lease a home treatment device. Home
				  treatment devices are limited in that each unit treats only the water that
				  flows from the faucet to which it is connected, and all of the devices require
				  periodic maintenance and replacement. Devices such as reverse osmosis systems
				  or distillers can effectively remove lead from your drinking water. Some
				  activated carbon filters may reduce lead levels at the tap, however all lead
				  reduction claims should be investigated. Be sure to check the actual
				  performance of a specific home treatment device before and after installing the
				  unit.
ii) Purchase bottled water for drinking and
				  cooking.
D) You can consult a variety of sources for
				  additional information. Your family doctor or pediatrician can perform a blood
				  test for lead and provide you with information about the health effects of
				  lead. State and local government agencies that can be contacted include the
				  following:
i) (Insert the name of city or county department
				  of public utilities) at (insert phone number) can provide you with information
				  about your community's water supply, and a list of local laboratories that have
				  been certified by EPA for testing water quality;
ii) (Insert the name of city or county department
				  that issues building permits) at (insert phone number) can provide you with
				  information about building permit records that should contain the names of
				  plumbing contractors that plumbed your home; and
iii) The Illinois Department of Public Health at
				  217-782-4977 or 312-814-2608 or the (insert the name of the city or county
				  health department) at (insert phone number) can provide you with information
				  about the health effects of lead and how you can have your child's blood
				  tested.
E) The following is a list of some State-approved
				  laboratories in your area that you can call to have your water tested for lead.
				  (Insert names and phone numbers of at least two laboratories.)
BOARD NOTE: Derived from
					 40 CFR
					 141.85(a)(1) (2012).