Bellingham completed its lead pipe audit. Should you be concerned about your drinking water?
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published Lead and Copper Rule Long-Term Revisions in 2021, requiring all community water systems to develop and maintain a publicly accessible lead service line inventory to help identify and remove lead sources while being transparent about their presence.
An October 2024 final ruling by the Biden Administration will require drinking water systems nationwide to identify and replace lead pipes within 10 years.
So what does this look like for Bellingham residents?
The city of Bellingham removed all lead service lines as of March 2018 and completed a comprehensive lead service line inventory last month in compliance with federal requirements, further affirming city service lines no longer contain lead pipes.
However, residents still may be at risk of lead exposure from pipes on private property.
“While the city of Bellingham has proactively removed lead pipes from our service lines that connect our water mains to private property, there may still be lead pipes present in some homes, particularly those built prior to 1986, when lead pipes were banned in construction,” according the city’s website.
The city is limited in accessing private properties to conduct a full inventory of pipes so it instead used an approved methodology from the Washington State Department of Health “to determine the material of the privately-owned portion based on a statistically significant sample of service lines leaving the city-owned meters,” Bellingham Public Works Communications Coordinator Torhil Ramsay told The Bellingham Herald.
“This analysis revealed that none of the sampled lines were made of lead. However, this may not mean that homes have lead-free pipes, fittings or fixtures,” Ramsay said.
The service line inventory is fully searchable by address on the city’s website. While the city’s analysis does suggest a low likelihood of lead piping in privately owned residences, individual properties may still have lead service lines.
There is no safe level of lead exposure, according to the Washington State Department of Health. Lead exposure can be harmful to children and adults. Children’s developing brains and nervous systems are particularly vulnerable. Long-term health problems such as cognitive impairments, developmental delays and behavioral issues can occur from exposure to even low levels of lead. High levels of lead can be life-threatening.
Lead in drinking water can be reduced by:
▪ Running the tap water for a while if it has not been used for several hours to help flush out any lead that may have accumulated in stagnant water.
▪ Using only cold water for drinking, cooking, and making baby formula. Hot water may contain higher levels of lead.
▪ Cleaning the screens and aerators in faucets frequently to remove captured lead particles.
▪ Using only certified “lead-free” piping and materials for plumbing when building or remodeling.
If a Bellingham resident is concerned about lead pipes within their home, they can conduct testing through an accredited water testing lab.
