On December 16, 2021, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced steps to strengthen the regulations on lead in drinking water.

On August 4, 2022, the EPA released guidance to help communities identify pipes that connect drinking water to homes and other buildings that might contain lead. Under this guidance, the City of Tyler will be developing an inventory of over 40,000 service lines. This inventory will be available online to the public.

The goal of the rule revision is to replace all lead service lines. Having an accurate inventory will help the City continue to replace lead service lines as they are located.

Rules and guidelines continue to be updated by the EPA and cooperating agencies, and the City will stay apprised of changes in order to maintain our high-water quality level.

Timeline

Fall 2023 – Spring 2024 (Phase Completed): Community surveys. 

Spring 2024 – Fall 2024: TWU crews will check customers' water service line material. Any survey received with the material marked as unknown or identified as lead will be checked by crews as part of the second phase.

Oct. 16, 2024: Submit full inventory to TCEQ/EPA.

Fall 2024 – Fall 2025: Develop Replacement Plan and schedule, submit for federal funding and begin replacement of City portion of service lines.

Fall 2025 – 2035: Complete Replacement Program.

Corrosion Control

Corrosive water can carry plumbing material particles through the water system. Through the water treatment process, Tyler Water Utilities (TWU) lowers the corrosivity of the water, reducing the potential for lead exposure.

The City of Tyler has a corrosion control plan, as part of the Lead and Copper Rule. Raising the pH of the water creates scale in the pipes. The scale reduces the amount of plumbing material particles that might dissolve in the water.

Service Line Inventory

As part of the current Lead and Copper Rule, the City of Tyler has announced a plan to take inventory of over 40,000 service lines. Based on the identifications, the City will build a database that will be available to the public after October 2024.

The City of Tyler does not have information about the type of materials used in private plumbing inside homes and businesses. 

Beginning March 18, TWU crews will be checking customers' water meter boxes to determine the water service line material. TWU staff will be out from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 8 a.m. to noon on the weekends. Crews will be wearing TWU uniforms and driving TWU trucks. They will NOT need to enter homes or businesses. 

Signs will be posted in the neighborhoods where crews are working, and customers will receive a door hanger notice before fieldwork begins in their area. The notice will inform customers that TWU will be checking their water meter box and asks that the area around the box be clear and accessible. 

This is phase two of TWU's service line material inventory. As part of the first phase of this project, TWU asked customers to complete a survey to identify the water service line material on their property. TWU received about 2,000 community surveys. Any survey with the material marked as unknown or identified as lead will be checked by crews as part of the second phase.

Service Line Replacement

Prior to this initiative, TWU replaced all known City-owned lead service lines. The City expects to identify more City-owned lead service lines through this process and will develop a replacement plan.

Replacement of customer service lines is the responsibility of the customer. Water providers fulfilling the requirements may be eligible for Federal funding to assist private property owners with replacing lead service connections. 

Customer Development

Customers will be notified if a service line on either side of the meter cannot be verified as non-lead. Customers will receive information about lead exposure, flushing pipes and further lead testing. In cases of rental property, both the renter and property owner will be contacted. 

Day Cares & Schools

Testing for lead in water is required at all registered day cares and schools up to eighth grade. TWU will be in contact with all schools, daycares, hospitals and medical facilities to ensure they are informed and can assess their service lines. 

Testing will be completed and reported as required by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Rules and guidelines continue to change and the City will continue to comply with the requirements as new information comes in.

Remember: Tyler Water Utilities carefully adjusts and monitors the water's chemistry at the plant before it is distributed to prevent corrosion and minimize the risk of lead entering the water. But the best way to eliminate lead from entering drinking water is to eliminate lead pipes and plumbing. 

Determine if you have lead service line or interior lead plumbing or solder. Property owners should check their portion of the service lines for lead. If your home or building was constructed before 1989 it is also important to determine if interior pipes contain lead. You can check yourself, hire a licensed plumber, or check with your landlord.

Run the cold water to flush out lead. If a faucet hasn't been used in more than six hours, let water run from the cold tap for 15 to 30 seconds before drinking or cooking with it. The longer water sits still in plumbing the more lead it may contain. Flushing tap water is a simple and inexpensive measure you can take to protect your health.

Use cold water for cooking and preparing baby formula. Lead can dissolve into hot water more easily. Avoid drinking, cooking, or preparing beverages like baby formula with hot tap water. If you know or suspect you have a lead service line, you should use filtered water for drinking and preparing baby formula. If you need hot water, draw water from the cold tap and then heat it. However, it is still safe to wash dishes and do laundry with hot tap water. Lead will not soak into dishware or most clothes.

Use alternative sources or treatment of water. If there are confirmed or suspected lead-containing materials in your home or building, you may consider using bottled water or a water filter. Be sure to maintain and replace filter devices as needed.

Remove and clean aerators/screens on plumbing fixtures. Over time, particles and sediment can collect in the aerator screen. Regularly remove and clean aerator screens located on faucets and remove any particles.

Get your child tested. Contact the Smith County Health District or your healthcare provider to find out how to get your child tested for lead. A doctor can perform a blood test and provide you with information about the health effects of lead.

Our public water supply system is required to collect tap water samples to determine lead and copper levels in our system. Lead and copper testing is different than our many other routine water testing procedures. During a scheduled monitoring event, City staff assist customer volunteers with sample collections. The samples are then submitted by City staff to a State certified laboratory for analysis.

TWU tested for lead in 2021 and 2023. Sampling is conducted at 50 customer locations with a higher likelihood of containing lead service lines due to the age of the property. There was no lead detected in the water in any of the samples. The last monitoring event was completed in September 2023.

Lead in water is measured in parts per billion. If a sample from a testing site is found to have more than 15 parts per billion, additional actions must be taken to investigate and resolve the issue. After confirming that the sample collection protocols were followed, the tap and service line are evaluated. Providing educational materials, taking additional samples and service line replacement are all possible next steps.