BURRILLVILLE – The Pascoag Utility District and Harrisville Water Department took steps this month to comply with new state and federal regulations that require lead service water lines to be eliminated.
And with the lead status of more than 1,000 pipes unknown, the change requires the districts to make water filters available to many of their customers while steps are taken to identify materials used in service lines throughout town.
“This project is part of our commitment to following state and federal regulations and protecting public health,” noted a release on the initiative.
The project will bring the districts into compliance with both the Rhode Island Lead Poisoning Prevention Act and the federal Lead and Copper Rule Revisions, which require nearly every lead water pipe in the nation to be removed within the next 10 years.
And it seems many of the local customers notified of possible lead exposure this month are likely not actually served by lead lines. The laws require water utilities to complete detailed records of the lines, and while both districts have created databases on the status of pipe materials on the private side – where water is delivered to individual homes – such records do not exist on the public portion.
Lines can be made of copper, plastic, galvanized steel or lead, and PUD Supervisor of Administration Desarae Dolan noted that typically, materials used on the private side will match what’s in the roadway, as the lines would likely have been installed at the same time.
“Both Harrisville and Pascoag have accurate records of the service line going into your home or business from the curb stop,” Dolan explained.
Between 2010 and 2021, Pascoag’s Water Department created records of customers’ private service lines. Only 14 of the district’s roughly 1,100 water customers were found to have lead lines and all were replaced with the help of a grant. In Harrisville, just two were discovered out of an estimated 1,000 customers during work performed in 2014.
But all customers served by public pipes with “lead status unknown” had to be notified of possible exposure.
“If the material on either side of the service line is unknown, it is treated as lead until proven otherwise with a visual inspection,” Dolan said.
Similar compliance efforts are underway at water companies across the country, where lines made of various materials must be treated as lead.
“For us, this project goes beyond just compliance with new laws—it’s about safeguarding our community’s health for years to come,” said PUD General Manager William Guertin. “We’re committed to making this process as smooth and transparent as possible for everyone. We’re working hard to identify these service lines and will replace any lead pipes to protect public health.”
Over the next ten years, the districts are expected to work with an engineer to create a plan to identify pipe materials. Using a technique called “potholing,” workers will ultimately make a small test holes at curb stops throughout the village to perform visual inspections.
“If a customer received a letter, their address has already been identified as a lead status unknown service line and will be included in the plan and inspected,” said Dolan.
Those customers are eligible to receive free water filter pitchers, along with six months of filter replacements free of charge from the Pascoag Utility District and Harrisville Water Department.
“We sent letters out to roughly 1,400 customers as this includes duplexes and apartments that may have multiple tenants,” said Dolan. “Only customers that receive a letter are eligible for a filter which is a Brita pitcher with a six-month filter supply.”
PUD customers who received a letter can call (401) 568-6222 or email [email protected] to request a free filter pitcher and
replacements. The items can be picked up at 253 Pascoag Main St. during business hours Monday through Wednesday of Friday from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Thursday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Harrisville Water Department customers can call (401) 568-2224.
The districts provided other tips for reducing lead exposure from drinking water, including running cold water for 3 to 5 minutes before using it for drinking or cooking, especially if water has been sitting unused for several hours. Hot water can cause lead to dissolve more easily, so cold water should always be used for drinking, cooking, and making baby formula.
To learn more about lead in drinking water, visit the Rhode Island Department of Health’s website at health.ri.gov/water/about/lead/ or call your water utility.
