01-22-2024 GM Report - Laserfiche WebLink

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January 22, 2024 Re: United States Environmental Protection. Agency (USEPA) Lead and Copper Rule Dear Board Chair Oceguera and Members of the Board: Purpose The USEPA established the Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) in 1991 to reduce exposure to lead through drinking water and has proposed new changes to the rule to minimize lead exposure further. Under the latest LCR revision, USEPA requires community water systems to conduct an inventory of water service lines connected to the water system's distribution pipelines to determine if the water service line or its materials contain lead by October 16, 2024. The LCR changes will require public water systems to document water system connector materials belonging to the water system and the customer.. Riverside Public Utilities (RPU) will collect data on the RPU -owned portion of the service line (water main to the meter) and the customer -owned portion of the service line (meter to the building inlet) and create an inventory database. RPU will use the inventory to determine specific requirements on lead service line replacement, notify customers and property owners, and select compliance water sampling. The inventory will be posted online with instructions on accessing the inventory in the RPU's Annual Consumer Confidence Report. The LCR also requires RPU to survey public and private schools and licensed childcare facilities. Past Actions In 2018, RPU completed an inventory of the utility -owned service lateral lines under USEPA's previous LCR requirements and determined that no lead service lines were found on the utility side of the meter. RPU also provided increased communication about lead through our 2021 Annual Water Quality Report. In addition, RPU conducts household sampling for lead every three years at home to meet the criteria set in the LCR. Next Steps Currently, RPU is working with the California Division of Drinking Water on our approach to evaluating an estimated 41,500 service lines to verify the water pipe material. Our approach uses mapping data, historical records, and field verification to determine if any lead material exists in RPU's service laterals or the customer's piping to their home or business. USEPA has identified homes built before 1986 as potentially containing lead, as the federal government banned using lead in water piping materials in 1986. The revised LCR requires water systems to Riverside Public Utilities I Riverside Public Utilities.com