Water customers asked to complete survey

TYLER — Tyler Water Utilities (TWU) has partnered with KSA Engineers, as part of a national initiative by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, to inventory the types of materials of all customers’ water service lines in the City’s distribution system by October 16, 2024. The inventory is an important step in protecting public health and minimizing the risk of lead entering drinking water from service pipes and fixtures in people’s homes. As part of this plan, TWU asks customers to complete a survey to identify the water service line material on their property. A customer’s water service line connects the water meter to their house or business and is their responsibility to maintain or replace. The material will be either PVC, copper, galvanized steel, or lead. Lead service lines were banned in 1986 because of Federal Safe Drinking Water Act amendments. If a home or business was built after 1989, the property is unlikely to have a lead service line. Officials said lead is NOT in our drinking water when it leaves treatment plants. The risk for lead to enter water comes from pipes and plumbing that are made from lead. The water’s chemistry is carefully adjusted and monitored at the plant before it is distributed to prevent corrosion and minimize this risk. However, the best way to eliminate the risk of lead from entering drinking water is to eliminate lead pipes and plumbing.

To learn more about this initiative and Tyler water quality, click here.