Crews will be checking water line material

TYLER — Beginning March 18, Tyler Water Utilities (TWU) crews will be checking customers’ water meter boxes to determine the water service line material. TWU staff will be out from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 8 a.m. to noon on the weekends. Crews will be wearing TWU uniforms and driving TWU trucks. They will NOT need to enter homes or businesses. Signs will be posted in the neighborhoods where crews are working, and customers will receive a door hanger notice before fieldwork begins in their area. The notice will inform customers that TWU will be checking their water meter box and asks that the area around the box be clear and accessible.

The project is 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.

“The goal is to identify water service line material as quickly and efficiently as possible with minimal disruptions to our customers,” said Utilities Director Kate Dietz, PE.

This is phase two of TWU’s service line material inventory. As part of the first phase of this project, TWU asked customers to complete a survey to identify the water service line material on their property. TWU received about 2,000 community surveys. Any survey with the material marked as unknown or identified as lead will be checked by crews as part of the second phase.

“We appreciate the community members who took the time to fill out the surveys and kickstart this project,” said Dietz. “It has been a tremendous help to our community.”

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