On Tuesday, Nov. 12, many Greensboro residents were very alarmed to find in their mail a letter from the city that created the impression the water coming into their homes was contaminated.
The ominous-sounding letter, which came under the letterhead of the City of Greensboro Water Resources Department, shows the homeowner’s address in bold letters and, in all caps across the top states “YOUR SERVICE LINE IS OF UNKNOWN SERVICE LINE MATERIAL.”
The letter continues: “This notice contains important information about your drinking water. Please share this information with anyone who drinks and/or cooks using water at this property. In addition to people directly served at this property, this can include people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, businesses, as well as parents served by childcare at this property.”
That’s followed by this statement: “The City of Greensboro is working to identify service line materials throughout the water system and has determined the water pipe (called a service line) that connects your building to the water main is made from unknown material. Because your service line material is unknown, there is the potential that some or all of the service line could be made of lead or galvanized pipe previously connected to lead. People living in homes with a lead or galvanized pipe previously connected to a lead service line have an increased risk of exposure to lead from their drinking water.”
The letter, which is one page printed on both the front and back, then goes into detail about the serious health effects of lead poisoning, noting that it can cause serious health effects in all ages such as heart disease, high blood pressure and kidney or nervous system problems.
It also contains information on various methods you can use to reduce the amount of lead in the water coming into your house. It goes into detail on how you can properly use water filters, use cold water instead of hot so that less lead is pulled from the pipes, run water for a time before you actually use it since the “first draw” water has more lead in it.
Then it goes into how you can get your water tested for contamination.
Another paragraph in the letter reads, “Get your child tested to determine lead levels in their blood.”
After that bold subheading, it states “While we cannot confirm your property has a lead service line, you may wish to speak with a healthcare provider to see if your child’s blood lead level is elevated and/or if there is a need for blood testing.”
The letter from Water Resources, which went out to thousands and thousands of city residents this week, understandably sent some of them into a virtual panic, with many asking themselves: “How long has my water been contaminated? Will my children survive the lead poisoning? Will I be sick?”
A call to the city’s main answer bank did not provide much clarification; however, a representative of the City of Greensboro Water Resources Department did offer some answers.
And the truth isn’t nearly as scary as the horrifying letter makes it sound.
The Water Resources staff member overseeing the project told the Rhino Times on Tuesday, Nov. 12, that, due to a new Environmental Protection Agency regulation, the city needed to update its database regarding service lines from the city water line to homes and buildings to determine the material those service lines were made of.
The department representative said the letters were sent to all home and building owners with structures built before 1986. That’s because post-1986 structures would not have lead or other problematic piping systems, while those built before then could.
Since the EPA has implemented the new regulation, the city is asking those with homes and other buildings constructed prior to 1986 to determine what type of service line runs to their house and let the city know so they can inventory it.
Those who do not do so by December 31 will face a $500 fine. Not really, but the city would like for you to let them know once you determine what type of piping brings water into your home.
According to the representative of the department, recent random tests of water from homes in the city have shown no concerning concentrations of lead.
Still, people who have pipes of unknown material built before 1986 should check out the matter and let the city make a record of it.
They should not, however, grab the children and run out of the house screaming.
what else is in city water that i should be concerned about ? why are so many people buying water in stores ? i am in the cleaned air business & have masks n tanks for rent or sale.
How am I supposed to determine what kind of line I have? Do I have to hire a plumber just so they can complete the inventory? Seriously?
I asked that and they said go where the line connects to my house (in my case it is under my house) and put a magnet on it and see if it falls off or not. I have never gone under any house in my life and never will. LOL.
Happy Holidays from the City of Greensboro!
Let the “…run in circles, scream and shout!” begin.
Just another blunder by the City of Greensboro. We can always count on City Government to screw things up. It’s pitiful that they didn’t give appropriate information in the letter. Whomever wrote and whomever approved this letter should be reprimanded.
Just FYI, fluoride added to our water system is acidic (hydrofluosilisic acid) and it causes leaching of lead from lead pipes into consumers’water.
With the new court ruling on the neurotoxicity of so-called optimally fluoridated water, Communities are now starting to discontinue this practice, which it is known has no benefit, because the only possible benefit is via topical application. Not consumption.
Ending this practice would at least lessen exposure to lead until old piping can be replaced.
25 years ago, I Spent 3 months researching this subject while a grad student at UNC SPH. The CDC and EPA new about these adverse health issues that long ago and earlier. They covered up the facts and kept recommending the practice.
Good information. Thanks.
Government is always amoral, if not downright evil.
Good info Scott. Typical of the city to want citizens to do their job. Since they have the mailing list of potential problems, have their high paid employees check the lines. Hopefully the leaves aren’t covering up the meters.
All the houses built by Hiatt Homes inc. in the late 50’s and all of the 60’s in Guilford Hills, Green Valley, Forest Valley and else where have copper pipes leading into the house and inside the house. I was there and helped build them. Copper is the best. John Hiatt Jr.
As I have lived in my townhouse for 31 years and before that, 7 years in my grandmother`s house which had lead paint and have had zero issues, I really do not believe these pipes will harm me. If the city wishes to come in and change all my pipes for free, they are welcome to. In the meantime, I find it humorous they cannot “identify” my pipes as being lead. makes me wonder what kind of equipment they are using.