Wednesday, representatives from the U.S Environmental Protection Agency Get the Lead Out Initiative (GLO) will be canvassing neighborhoods in Lancaster to assist the city in completing its lead service line inventory.
The service line inventory started in 2023 and 2024. The city began taking steps to identify the types of service line materials used by each water customer. The service line is the pipe that connects your home or building to the water main in the street. Service lines can be made of lead, copper, galvanized metal, or plastic.
A team of 12 representatives, wearing vests and official identification, will visit properties that have not yet submitted information about their water service line material. Members of the GLO team will request permission to enter homes to inspect water service line materials and submit the data to the city. Residents who prefer not to grant entry will receive instructions on how to conduct the inspection and self-report their findings.
Canvassing will take place Wednesday through Friday from 12 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., and on Saturday, March 15 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The neighborhoods that will be focused on are in parts of southwest, southeast, northeast, and the annex in Lancaster City.
This initiative is a part of Lancaster City’s compliance with the EPA’s Lead and Copper Rule Revision, which mandates the identification of all lead service lines. The city has already replaced hundreds of lead service lines through routine water main upgrades and repairs, thousands remain unidentified.
The city is asking water customers to check and confirm the material of the portion of their water service line that they own. Those who confirm having lead or galvanized service lines will receive follow-up instructions. Lancaster will replace lead or galvanized service lines in accordance with state regulatory requirements.
Water customers inside and outside Lancaster city who haven’t yet submitted their service line material can help reduce the cost of complying with this federal mandate by submitting their information as soon as possible to the Lead Service Line Inventory website.
Related: Neighborhood group helps city locate lead water pipes
