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Published on November 07, 2024
Phoenix Water Services Takes Lead in Safety with Compliance to New EPA StandardsSource: City of Phoenix

The City of Phoenix is officially stepping up its efforts to keep its tap water safe, staying ahead of the game by meeting the EPA's Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) standards, according to an announcement from the Phoenix Water Services Department. Targeting potential lead sources within the city's water infrastructure is top priority for the team, who's now rolling out a series of measures to make sure the H2O flowing from local faucets is as clean and risk-free as possible.

In adherence to the revised Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR), Phoenix officials have knuckled down on cataloging all of the city's half a million or so water service lines, especially those laid down before lead pipes got the boot in 1988, and it was a massive endeavor to submit this detailed inventory to the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) well before the mid-October deadline this year, the task was quite the undertaking given the scrutiny required for such a vast network of pipes.

Proactive field investigations initiated since 2021 have yielded a reassuring outcome, revealing not a single lead service line among the 250,000 that were scrutinized. Troy Hayes, Director of Phoenix Water Services, leaned into this win, declaring, "As a city, we've been proactive in maintaining the highest standards for water quality. While we have found no lead service lines so far, our commitment to safety and transparency remains strong," as reported by the City of Phoenix's news release.

As part of its transparency commitment, Phoenix Water is mailing out notifications to residents potentially impacted by galvanized service lines requiring replacement (GRR) or lines with materials yet unknown – the mailers are expected to drop later this year and into the new year, plus an online resource will flip the switch at pipes.phoenix.gov letting locals tap into info about their water service line materials and updates on the City’s lead service line replacement efforts.

Looking down the pipeline, Phoenix is gearing up to kick off a service line replacement program in 2025, targeting any lines tagged as GRR or lead. It's an ambitious plan, but with potential grants hitched from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Phoenix is aiming to couple city funds with federal assets to get the job done without drying up the budget.

Phoenix Water Services, as a central hub for over 1.7 million residents, stakes its reputation on serving up nothing but the best in water quality, sustainability, and regulatory compliance. Contact details for additional information were shared by the department: Michael Gertzman, the Senior Public Information Officer, can be reached at 602-534-1209 or [email protected] and Jimena Garrison, Public Information Officer, at 480-390-1933 or [email protected].

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