Lead lines must be replaced

The Lead and Copper Rule Improvements final rule was published in the Code of Federal Regulations Oct. 30.

Key provisions of the rule include the following:

•The majority of water systems will be required to replace lead service lines within 10 years.

•Systems must regularly update their initial service line inventories, and create a service line replacement plan.

•For sites with lead service lines, systems are required to collect and analyze the first-liter and fifth-liter and use the higher of the two values when determining compliance.

•The lead action level is reduced from 15ug/L to 10 ug/L. When a water system's lead sampling exceeds this level, the system is required to inform the public and take action to reduce lead exposure.

The compliance date of the rule is Nov. 30, 2027.

The Iowa DNR is currently reviewing the rule in great detail. It will take time for the DNR to get through the rule to understand what will be required by this final rule and to be able to get information out to water systems.

For more information, visit the EPA's Lead and Copper Rule Improvements web page, or download the Final LCRI General Information Fact Sheet.