Lead and Copper Rule
Tucson Water is committed to delivering safe, reliable water. The water Tucson Water provides is, and always has been, lead-free.
Lead and Copper Rule Revisions
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has raised its drinking water standards to better protect children and communities from the potential risks of lead getting into water through the corrosion of outdated plumbing. The Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) limit the levels of lead and copper metals in water by improving water treatment centers, replacing water service lines containing lead or galvanized material and educating the public on ways to lessen the risks of lead exposure.
Sources of Lead
Lead can be found in other common products in your home such as paint, toys, pottery, cosmetics, food, candy, and more. Finding lead in the water systems today is very rare. Learn more: www.epa.gov/lead/protect-your-family-sources-lead
Health Effects of Lead in Drinking Water
There is no safe level of lead in drinking water. Exposure to lead in drinking water can cause serious health effects in all age groups, especially pregnant people, infants (both formula-fed and breastfed), and young children.
Some of the health effects to infants and children include decreases in IQ and attention span. Lead exposure can also result in new or worsened learning and behavior problems. The children of persons who are exposed to lead before or during pregnancy may be at increased risk of these harmful health effects.
Adults have increased risks of heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney, or nervous system problems.
Contact your health care provider for more information about your risks. More information can be found here.
How We Are Working to Protect Our Customers
- Taking inventory of all the water service lines in the Tucson Water system.
- Working with customers for water service line replacement if needed.
- Supplying water pitchers with filters, when needed.
- Sampling and testing water quality.
What’s Happening in Your Neighborhood
Tucson Water crews will be in your neighborhood throughout the remainder of 2024 looking at the water service lines leading into and surrounding your home. This is part of a citywide proactive project to inventory the service line materials in the water system. Tucson Water utility crews will look at meter boxes and where the water service line enters and connects to your home or business.
Why Is Tucson Water Looking at the Pipes Around My Home?
Utility crews must take inventory of pipes used to carry water to your home to support ongoing water quality programs. Service Line Inventory Map
What Are Crews Looking For?
Utility crews are trying to identify the type of materials used to make the pipes that carry water to your home. Some pipes are old, and their materials are currently unknown. This effort will help Tucson Water put together a full database of water pipe materials in Tucson.
What Happens Next?
Once the lines are identified, the information will be entered into a database for future determination of possible replacement. If we are unable to identify them, keep an eye out for additional notifications that discuss the next steps in the process. This may include additional investigations or replacing your water service line. If you have questions, give us a call at 520-791-5945 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Your Water Service Line Connection
The water service line, or pipe, that connects customers to the water main is divided by the water meter. Tucson Water is responsible for maintaining the service line from the water main to the water meter. Customers are responsible for maintaining the water service line from the water meter to home.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is lead?
Lead is a naturally occurring metal element that was historically used in household plumbing. Lead exposure can also occur in paint, dust, soil, air, and food. Houses built before 1951 may have lead water service lines. Under certain water quality conditions, lead can be passed through the plumbing into the water. Other locations that contain lead can be present in your plumbing system and should be identified. These include brass fittings that contain a small amount of lead, galvanized pipes and connectors if ever connected to pipes made of lead, and lead-based solder to connect copper piping installed before 1987.
What about copper in the LCRR?
The EPA has required public water systems to monitor both lead and copper levels in drinking water since 1991. Like lead, copper is a metal and chemical element that occurs naturally in the environment. Copper is used in electrical wiring and plumbing materials. Copper is a necessary micronutrient and is needed in small amounts for good health, but too much copper in the diet or in drinking water may cause harmful health effects. At elevated levels, ingesting, inhaling, and touching copper may cause nausea, vomiting and stomach cramps. Long term exposure to copper can lead to kidney and liver problems and anemia.
How does lead get into drinking water?
The safe and reliable water Tucson Water sends to you every day from our treatment plants is lead-free. As that water travels through pipes on our side of the system to private plumbing on your side, that's where the risk of lead begins.
The risk of lead entering drinking water comes from plumbing found in some brass fixtures and copper piping joined with lead-based solder and lead service lines. The breakdown of metal caused by water moving through your plumbing, also known as corrosion, causes lead to leak into water through the pipes, fixtures, or faucets. The risk of lead reaching your water also depends on the:
· Types and quantities of minerals in the water.
· How long the water stays sitting in the pipes.
· Wear and tear in the pipes.
· Water‛s acidity and temperature.
For more information regarding the sources of lead in drinking water, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/infographic-lead-drinking-water
What has Tucson Water done to address lead in drinking water in the past?
Since 1999, Tucson Water has proactively identified, removed, and replaced lead service lines, or pipes, that deliver water to the water meters from the main distribution line throughout the Tucson community. In 2016, the Get The Lead Out (GTLO) program was created to find and replace remaining lead service lines. Tucson Water regularly monitors for lead and copper at over 100 locations and reports the results in the annual water quality report.
How can I protect myself from potential lead exposure?
Having a water service line that contains lead doesn’t necessarily mean you have higher levels of lead in your water, but there are steps you can take to reduce possible exposure to lead in drinking water:
· Have your water tested.
· Use cold water. Boiling water does not remove lead.
· Clean your faucet’s screen.
Flush your taps by running the water for 15-30 seconds.
· Use water filters certified to remove lead.
To learn more, please visit: www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/basic-information-about-lead-drinking-water#reducehome
Where can I get my water tested?
If you would like to have your water tested, you can contact a water quality laboratory for more information. Below is a link to laboratories that are licensed by the Office of Laboratory Services to perform drinking water testing in Arizona. As a reminder, the water delivered to your home by Tucson Water is free of lead.
https://ells-lab-search.azdhs.gov/DrinkingWaterTestingLabs/drinkingwatersearchcontentpage
I received a notice telling me my water service line is made of unknown materials. What does this mean?
Tucson Water’s inventory shows that the water service line that connects your home or building to the water main is made from unknown materials.
Because your service line material is unknown, there is potential that some or all of the service line could be made of lead or galvanized steel pipe that was previously connected to a lead service line.
People living in homes with a lead or galvanized steel service line requiring replacement (GRR) previously connected to a lead service line have an increased risk of exposure to lead from their drinking water.
Tucson Water will contact you with the next steps to visually inspect and verify the material of your service line.
I received a notice in the mail telling me my water service line is made of galvanized steel requiring replacement (GRR). What does this mean?
Tucson Water’s inventory currently shows that your water service line that connects to your home or building to the water main is made from galvanized steel materials requiring replacement (GRR) and may have absorbed lead.
Tucson Water’s records indicate that a lead service line may be present or might have been present in the past.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has defined these service lines as ‘galvanized requiring replacement (GRR)’. Galvanized steel service lines requiring replacement (GRR) that have absorbed lead can contribute to lead in drinking water. People living in homes with a galvanized steel service line requiring replacement (GRR) that has absorbed lead may have an increased risk of exposure to lead from drinking water.
Tucson Water is developing a lead service line replacement program. Tucson Water will contact you with next steps for your replacement.
How is Tucson Water identifying where to replace service lines?
Tucson Water is developing a lead service line replacement program by taking inventory of water service line materials in your area using property records, water tests, and field inspections to meet new federal standards.
The inventory is updated regularly with new information to guide decisions about potential replacements.
Water service lines are a shared responsibility between Tucson Water and property owners.
If you believe the information in the inventory listed for your property is incorrect, please contact Tucson Water at QualityandPressure@tucsonaz.gov or 520-791-5945.
If you are planning on replacing the portion of the water service line that you own, please contact Tucson Water at QualityandPressure@tucsonaz.gov or 520-791-5945.
What is potholing and what can I expect?
Potholing is the process of excavating small holes in the ground to locate underground water service lines.
A potholing inspection helps Tucson Water verify the material type of the water service line.
Before the inspection, Tucson Water utility crews or a contractor will mark and locate the service line.
Tucson Water utility crews or a contractor will dig two small holes within 18 inches of the meter, on one side or both sides of the meter. Additional potholes may be needed to confirm the service line if initial potholing and other inspection methods are unsuccessful.
Potholing inspections may include visual inspections, photographs, magnetic and scratch tests, and documentation.
Tucson Water asks that a property owner or representative be on-site during the inspection to allow crews to conduct a visual inspection of the service line that enters the home or building.
What happens if I need a water service line replacement? What can I expect?
Tucson Water will contact property owners if their water service line requires replacement.
Tucson Water is enhancing its lead service line replacement program through an inventory process. Water service lines confirmed as lead or galvanized steel requiring replacement (GRR) will be replaced with copper service lines upon discovery.
Tucson Water will be responsible for the cost of replacing your lead or galvanized steel service line requiring replacement (GRR).
For more information about replacement of lead service lines or galvanized steel service lines requiring replacement (GRR) please contact Tucson Water at QualityandPressure@tucsonaz.gov or 520-791-5945.
If you are planning on replacing the portion of the water service line that you own, please contact Tucson Water at QualityandPressure@tucsonaz.gov or 520-791-5945.
Who is responsible for the cost of service line replacement?
Water service lines are a shared responsibility between Tucson Water and property owners.
Tucson Water will be responsible for the cost of replacing your lead or galvanized steel service line requiring replacement (GRR).
For more information about replacement of lead service lines or galvanized steel service lines requiring replacement (GRR) please contact Tucson Water at QualityandPressure@tucsonaz.gov or 520-791-5945
Is my water safe to drink?
Yes. The water Tucson Water delivers to your meter is lead-free.
For more information regarding water quality, click here to view Tucson Water’s most recent Consumer Confidence Report.
Is my water safe to use for a shower, bath, or teeth brushing?
Yes. The water Tucson Water delivers to your meter is lead-free.
Example Notices
Service Line Material Notifications
LCRR Resource Library
National
EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline: 800-426-4791
National Lead Information Center: 800-424-LEAD | www.epa.gov/lead
NSF International: www.nsf.org
Lead in Drinking Water Web Site: www.epa.gov/safewater/lead
U.S. EPA Understanding the Lead and Copper Rule Basics - Fact Sheet 101
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Basic Information About Lead In Drinking Water
U.S. EPA Planning and Conducting Lead Service Line Replacement
National League of Cities Article- 8 Things Local Leaders Need To Know About The EPA's LCRI
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention- Lead In Drinking Water
Local
Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) Water Quality Division
Pima County Health Department – Lead & Health Risks
City of Tucson Lead Hazard Reduction Program
Schools and Childcare Facilities
U.S. EPA Toolkits for Schools and Childcare Facilities- 3T's For Reducing Lead In Drinking Water
Contact Us
For more specific questions about your water service line and quality, please contact the Tucson Water Quality Customer Support Unit at 520-791-5945 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, or email QualityandPressure@tucsonaz.gov.