The Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) isn’t anything new. But ongoing lead and copper water sampling continues to present a challenge—when it comes to time, staffing, and resources—for public water systems across the country. States may require water sampling under the direction from the EPA, but each state’s own regulatory body determines and enforces how that sampling is done.
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The Process
The state regulatory body will determine how many samples you need to collect, how samples are to be collected, and what types of dwellings to collect samples from. Most municipalities, unless given a special exemption, must typically collect lead and copper water samples at least annually. No matter how frequently you’re required to conduct lead and copper water sampling, the process follows the same pattern.
Notification
The first step: sending out sampling request notices to water customers. Review your service connection inventory and prioritize properties with a known lead service line when determining who to include in the program. Best practice is to send two to three times the number of notices beyond the number of required locations to sample from. Inevitably, some people will throw the notice away or ignore it entirely. By attempting to contact more people than you need, you can guarantee you’ll schedule the minimum number of homes for sampling to ensure timely compliance with state requirements.
Your utility should carefully craft the language in your sampling request notice to educate homeowners on the water sampling program, why you conduct sampling, and what it means for them. Because samples are typically collected on a volunteer basis, you need to inform homeowners why the utility wants to sample their home specifically. And, to encourage participation, highlight the report residents will receive once sampling has concluded.
Sampling
Following postal notifications, homeowners who want to participate schedule their sampling. It is recommended to schedule a few more homes to sample than you’ll need, knowing that some homeowners may forget or miss their scheduled sampling. Most municipalities send technicians, typically in the morning before any water is used in the home, to gather the water samples, record proper documentation, and submit the samples to a state-certified lab. Alternatively, in some states (where it’s permissible) utilities choose to have homeowners collect and send in samples themselves. If your homeowners are collecting samples themselves, deliver the bottles along with instructions on how and when they should collect the samples. Once collected, samples must be submitted to and processed by a state-certified lab for the purpose of lead and copper analysis.
Reporting
Once you receive the results from the lab, it’s time to report. The first report is to your customers—AKA the consumer notice. In some states, utilities must submit the consumer notice within 30 days of receiving results from the state-certified lab. The notice should include both the results and outline what the data means for homeowners. Second, your utility needs to submit a compliance report to the state regulatory body that provides an in-depth look at the data and results of the sampling program.
A Case Study in Michigan
The water sampling process, while straightforward enough, creates a significant burden on the water system. Across the Midwest, HydroCorp has supported water sampling efforts to help utilities protect their communities from contamination and maintain compliance with the state regulatory bodies.
In Birmingham, MI, HydroCorp manages the entire water sampling program with minimum involvement from the municipality. Birmingham provides their requirements from the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and their account listing—and that’s it. The utility doesn’t need to contribute any staff, time, or additional resources to make sure the project is completed according to state standards. From notices, scheduling, and customer service on the front end to collecting samples, delivering them to the lab, and developing the reports in the field and beyond, HydroCorp saves the utility time, allowing them to focus on their core responsibilities.
Reducing the Burden
A partner to take on the burden of administrative, field, and reporting work can free up significant time for utility staff. Rather than focusing on a single program outside of their areas of expertise, your team can focus on what they do best and continue to provide excellent service to your community. Don’t sacrifice time, compliance, or, most importantly, safety. An effective and compliant water sampling program—one that doesn’t strain your limited resources—is within reach.
Ready to learn more about HydroCorp can support your municipality’s lead and copper water sampling efforts?
