The Town is required, like other water utilities established before 1986, to begin a service line inventory within our system by the EPA and IDEM (Indiana Department of Environmental Management). While we know what our watermains are, the builder of your home/business was responsible for anything from the meter to the structure and within the structure.
The Sellersburg Water Utility Department is focused on protecting the health of every household in our community and is working to identify service line materials throughout the water system.
The notices are being distributed to customers with unknown service line materials as required by the EPA. This notice does not mean we believe your drinking water is unsafe.
If you do not know what material your service line is, and if your home was built before 1986, there is the potential that some or all of the service line could be made of lead or galvanized pipe that was previously connected to lead. People living in homes with a lead or galvanized pipe previously connected to a lead service line have an increased risk of exposure to lead from their drinking water.
FIRST STEP: Identifying Service Line Material
EPA has developed an online step-by-step guide to help people identify lead pipes in their homes called Protect Your Tap: A Quick Check for Lead. It is available at: EPA’s How to Check Your Water Service Line.
To help develop the service line inventory, please complete the survey by clicking the following link after you have identified your service line material: Sellersburg Water Service Line Inventory Survey.
Health Effects of Lead
Exposure to lead in drinking water can cause serious health effects in all age groups. Infants and children can have decreases in IQ and attention span. Lead exposure can lead to new learning and behavior problems or worsen existing learning and behavior problems. The children of women who are exposed to lead before or during pregnancy can have increased risk of these negative health effects. Adults can have increased risks of heart disease, high blood pressure, and kidney, or nervous system problems.
Steps You Can Take to Reduce Lead in Drinking Water.
As noted above, receiving notice does not mean we believe your drinking water is unsafe. However, if you are concerned, below are steps that you may take, separately or in combination, to address your concerns about lead in your drinking water. The list also includes where you may find more information and is not intended to be a complete list or to imply that all actions equally reduce lead in drinking water.
- Use filters properly. Using a filter can reduce lead in drinking water. If you use a filter, it should be certified to remove lead. Read any directions provided with the filter to learn how to properly install, maintain, and use your cartridge and when to replace it. Using the cartridge after it has expired can make it less effective at removing lead. Do not run hot water through the filter. For more information on facts and advice on home water filtration systems, see EPA’s https://www.epa.gov/water-research/consumer-tool-identifying-point-use-and-pitcher-filters-certified-reduce-lead.
- Clean your aerator. Regularly clean your faucet’s screen (also known as an aerator). Sediment, debris, and lead particles can collect in your aerator. If lead particles are caught in the aerator, lead can get into your water.
- Use cold water. Do not use hot water from the tap for drinking, cooking, or making baby formula as lead dissolves more easily into hot water. Boiling water does not remove lead from water.
- Learn what your service line material is. EPA has developed an online step-by-step guide to help people identify lead pipes in their homes called Protect Your Tap: A Quick Check for Lead. It is available at: https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/protect-your-tap-quick-check-lead
- Have your water tested. A list of certified laboratories is available at https://www.in.gov/health/laboratories/indiana-certified-microbiology-drinking-water-laboratories/. Note, a water sample may not adequately capture or represent all sources of lead that may be present. For information on sources of lead that include service lines and interior plumbing, please visit https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/basic-information-about-lead-drinking-water#getinto.
Get Your Child Tested to Determine Lead Levels in Their Blood
If you have a lead or galvanized service line or the service line material is unknown, you may wish to speak with a healthcare provider to see if your child’s blood lead level is elevated and/or if there is a need for blood testing, if you are concerned about potential exposure. Please visit the CDC’s Recommended Actions Based on Blood Lead Level for information on these actions.
For more information on reducing lead exposure from your drinking water and the health effects of lead, visit EPA’s website at http://www.epa.gov/lead.
Opportunity to Replace Lead or Galvanized Service Lines
If you determine your service line is lead or galvanized pipe, contact the Sellersburg Water Utility Department via email by clicking here: LCCR@sellersburg.org and please provide your name, address, city, telephone number, and email. We will keep your information on file as the Town is awaiting guidance from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) regarding their programming and funding opportunities for service line replacements.
