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Lead and Copper Inventory
Everett Public Works will be conducting an inventory of drinking water pipes throughout the city to determine whether there is lead in any part of our water system. The City of Everett has no known lead lines but we are still planning to inspect a subset of service lines in the City to confirm this. Everett is required to complete this inventory by October 2024 to comply with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) requirements related to lead and copper in local water systems.
In 1991, the EPA published a new rule to control lead and copper in drinking water systems across the country, called the Lead and Copper Rule (LCR). As part of a 2021 change to this rule, the City of Everett is required to inventory its water system and report its findings to the EPA by October 2024.
Everett conducted its latest round of monitoring in 2021. The EPA action level for lead is a maximum of 15 parts per billion for 90% of the samples. The highest level found in the 108 homes tested was ten parts per billion. The 90th percentile result—the highest result obtained in 90 percent of the samples—was two parts per billion.
Everett’s source water contains virtually no lead, and Everett has eliminated lead lines and connections from its distribution system. These results indicate that the lead level at household taps is most likely due to the corrosion of household plumbing systems. More information about lead monitoring requirements can be found at the Environmental Protection Agency's website.
Lead enters drinking water systems primarily through service lines (the pipes that run from the water main in the street to your house), copper pipes with lead solder that were installed before 1986, faucets, galvanized pipes and other shorter pipes that may connect to the main water system.
Lead is a naturally occurring chemical that is found in air, soil, household dust, food, water and manufactured items like paint, pottery and pewter. When ingested, lead builds up in the human body and can damage the brain, blood cells and other organs like kidneys. Lead was banned in new pipes and solder in 1986, but is still present in many places.