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Lead Awareness & Background
Protecting public health is at the core of our mission at the Water Authority of Western Nassau. Eliminating the risk of lead getting into drinking water is a shared responsibility between the Water Authority and you.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates water quality with the Lead and Copper Rule and our drinking water meets all EPA standards under this Rule, as well as those of the New York State Department of Health.
The Lead and Copper rule revisions of 2021 required water utilties to develop inventories of lead service lines in their service area and to provide that information to their communities. The Rule also requires that water utilities develop plans to remove all lead service lines over time. Both of these requirements require significant work and will take both time and funding to complete, as well as the collaboration of water utilities, government agencies and officials, and the public.
The Water Authority has provided service line material information on its customers to the New York State Department of health and is in the process of determining next steps in the service line replacement projects.
Sources of Lead
Lead can become a potential risk for drinking water in homes that have lead or galvanized service lines or pipes that contain lead. Older homes (those typically built during or before 1986) may still have a lead or galvanized public connection or a service line on the customer?s property that connects to the Water Authority's lines.Drinking water does not contain lead when it leaves our treatment plants. The risk for lead to enter the drinking water comes from corrosion of plumbing materials made with lead. This includes pipes buried in the ground, home plumbing, solder, and fixtures.
As part of ensuring water quality, the Water Authority balances the water chemistry to minimize the risks of lead getting into the water if the water travels through a lead pipe.
Service Line Identification
Service line identification is a continuous project being undertaken by all water suppliers across the United States. The Water Authority has been undergoing inspection of all of our customer's service lines to identify those that contain lead or galvanized pipe requiring replacement.Letters will be mailed to those services that have been determined to contain lead and/or galvanized pipe requiring replacement.
To look for information on your service location in our territory, you can search this map for the current known status of each public and customer-side service line. This information will be updated as time progresses and as service lines are replaced.
The Water Authority is focused on protecting the health of every household in our community. If you have any questions about your service line, call us at (516) 327-4100 or visit this website for updates.
Service Line Information Locator
View Service Line Materials Map in a full screen map
Steps To Reduce Your Exposure to Lead in Your Water
If your service line contains lead, there are steps you can take to minimize your exposure.
1. Use a water filter that is NSF-53 certified to remove lead and can reduce lead in drinking water. 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, visit EPA's website at https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/home-drinking-water-filtration-fact-sheet and EPA's Consumer Tool for Identifying Drinking Water Filters Certified to Reduce Lead.
2. Use only cold water for drinking, cooking, and preparing baby formula. Hot water dissolves lead more quickly. Boiling water does not remove lead from water.
3. Flush your pipes any time water has been unused for more than 4-6 hours. Lead levels are highest when water has been sitting in the pipe. Run your cold water for 3 to 5 minutes to ensure complete flushing.
4. Get your water tested by a New York State certified laboratory for lead in drinking water.
5. Know about construction in your neighborhood, contact us at (516) 327-4100 to find out about any construction or maintenance work that could disturb your service line. Construction may cause more lead to be released from a lead service line if present.
6. Clean your faucet screens (also known as an aerator). Sediment, debris, and lead particles can collect in your aerator. If lead particles are caught in your aerator, lead can get in your water.
7. Get your child tested to determine lead levels in their blood. Drinking water can be a source of childhood lead poisoning, 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. For more information on these actions, please visit https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/basic-information-about-lead-drinking-water .
Any measure you take to reduce your exposure to lead should be continued until the lead source(s) has been eliminated.
Additional Information
New York State Department of Health
EPA Resources
Lead & Copper Rule
Basic Information About Lead in Drinking Water
Protect Your Tap
American Waterworks