CITY OF ITHACA
510 First Street, Ithaca, New York 14850-3506
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS  WATER AND SEWER DIVISION
Telephone: 607/272-1717
Fax: 607/277-5028
March 9, 2017
Re: Lead Water Service Pipes
Dear Property Owner,
With lead in drinking water gaining national attention, the City of Ithaca Department
of Public Works Water & Sewer Division recently searched our records to identify
customers connected to our water distribution system with lead water service pipes
. A water service pipe, or line, connects your property’s plumbing system to the
City’s water main. You are receiving this letter because our records indicate that the
water service line for your property is a lead pipe. We wanted to provide information
to enable you to make an informed decision with respect to the continued use, or
replacement, of your property’s lead water service line.
What the issue is
The source of lead in drinking water most commonly comes from older plumbing,
pipes, fittings, and fixtures within a building. Lead has the elemental symbol Pb
from the Latin plumbum, from which the word plumbing was derived, as many of
the earliest pipes were made of lead. Lead was widely used in water supply
plumbing products until relatively recently.
Statutory Background.
In 1986 Congress Amended the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), prohibiting the use
of lead pipes and solder or flux that were not “lead free” in public water systems or
for plumbing in facilities providing water for human consumption.
In 1996 Congress further amended the SDWA, requiring plumbing fittings and
fixtures (endpoint devices such as faucets, drinking fountains, etc.) to be in
compliance with voluntary lead leaching standards. The amendments also
prohibited the introduction into commerce of any pipe, plumbing fitting, or fixture
that is not lead free.
In 2011 Congress passed the Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act (RLDWA)
revising the definition of lead free by lowering the maximum lead content of the
wetted surfaces of plumbing products (such as pipes, pipe fittings, plumbing
fittings, and fixtures) from 8% to 0.25%. The RLDWA became a Statutory
Requirement January 4, 2014.
What the City is doing
The City adds a corrosion inhibitor to the water supply to minimize leaching of lead
from the plumbing in homes and other buildings that may have pipes, pipe fittings,
plumbing fittings, and fixtures with lead content.
Lead gets into drinking water supplies when it dissolves from lead service lines, lead
solder, and lead-containing fittings and fixtures found in the plumbing of older
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homes and buildings. The Lead and Copper Rule requires that action be taken to control
corrosion if lead levels exceed 15 parts per billion (ppb) in more than ten percent of
homes tested.
The City of Ithaca is in compliance with the EPA’s Lead and Copper Rule, indicating that
the water system is not a significant source of lead. The City was in compliance when the
system was last tested in 2015, but to confirm continued compliance after the new water
treatment plant went into operation, the City tested water from the taps of City residents
in the summer of 2016.
Sixty samples were gathered during August and September from City of Ithaca homes
known to contain lead plumbing. Ninety percent of the homes tested at or below 4.6 ppb
of lead, and none of the samples tested above the action level. All 60 homeowners were
provided with their results. Please note that this testing was designed to measure the
leaching potential of the water system as a whole and may not be representative of the
specific plumbing impacts on lead levels in individual homes.
What residents and businesses can do
If you are concerned about lead in your water, let the cold water run from the tap before
using it for drinking or cooking any time the water in a faucet has stood for more than
six hours. The longer water resides in your home's plumbing, the more lead it may
contain. Flushing the tap means running the cold water faucet until the water gets
noticeably colder, usually about 15 to 30 seconds. Because your house has a lead
service line to the water main, you may have to flush the water for a longer time,
perhaps one minute, before drinking.
If you completely flush your pipes before using it, then the water will be from city water
mains, which have been tested and do not contain lead. Taking a shower or flushing a
toilet first helps to freshen the water in your house, so you would not need to let the
water run as long from the tap to be sure of getting water from the mains, but you still
need to flush the water in each faucet before using it for drinking or cooking.. Three to
four gallons of water is more than enough to completely flush the pipes in a typical
house.
City water costs one and half cents per gallon. If you flushed five gallons per day, it
would cost an extra
$2.35 per month. However, you can capture the water in buckets and use it to flush
toilets, water plants, or even pour it into top loading washing machines to use when
doing laundry.
Do not use hot water from the tap for drinking or cooking, as warm water can dissolve
more lead from plumbing fixtures.
Remove loose lead solder and debris from the plumbing by removing the faucet
strainers from all taps and running the water from 3 to 5 minutes. Thereafter,
periodically remove the strainers and flush out any debris that has accumulated.
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You can have your own water tested for lead. And you can replace older faucets in your
house with lead- free faucets.
If you have a lead water service pipe, you can replace it with a copper service pipe at
your own expense. Once your service pipe has been upgraded to copper, the City of
Ithaca will take ownership of the pipe between the water main and the curb box, and
you will no longer be responsible for the cost of repairing or replacing the portion of the
service pipe that is in the street. You will remain responsible for the service pipe
between the curb box and your meter.
Please see the enclosed frequently asked questions (FAQ) for more information. If you
have further questions, please contact the Water and Sewer Division at 272-1717.
Sincerely,
Erik Whitney, P.E.
Assistant Superintendent
City of Ithaca DPW Water & Sewer Division
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How does lead occur in drinking water?
Lead seldom occurs naturally in water supplies like rivers and lakes. Lead
enters drinking water primarily as a result of the corrosion, or wearing away,
of materials containing lead in the water distribution system and household
or building plumbing. These materials include lead-based solder used to join
copper pipe, brass and chrome-plated brass faucets, and in some cases,
pipes made of lead that connect houses and buildings to water mains.
In 1986, Congress banned the use of lead solder containing greater than
0.2% lead, and restricted the lead content of faucets, pipes and other
plumbing materials to 8.0%. Older construction may still have plumbing that
has the potential to contribute lead to drinking water.
Prior to 2014 the law allowed end-use brass fixtures, such as faucets, with up
to 8% lead to be labeled as “lead free.” After 2014 this limit was lowered to
0.25%. Visit the National Sanitation Foundation Web site at www.nsf.org to
learn more about lead-containing plumbing fixtures.

How do I learn about the quality of the water supplied to my house?
Public water systems are required to provide their users with Annual Water
Quality Report (AWQR). If your water is supplied by a municipal supplier,
contact them for this report. Lead and copper results for the most recent
sampling can be found in this report. Community suppliers (not connected to
municipal water systems) — those that supply water to at least 25 people in
residences such as apartment buildings in rural areas — are also required to
provide their users with an AWQR.
The AWQR for the City of Ithaca, Cornell, and Bolton Point water systems may
be found at the City of Ithaca website:
http://cityofithaca.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/1057 or the Bolton Point
website: boltonpoint.org/2016.pdf

How do I have the water tested at my house?
New York State has recently launched a free lead testing pilot program, which
will provide an opportunity for NY residents to have their residential drinking
water tested for free. The program will continue as long as funds are
available. You can find more information at
www.health.ny.gov/environmental/water/drinking/lead/free_lead_testing_pilot_
program
You can also contact one of the laboratories on the list:
http://tompkinscountyny.gov/files/health/eh/water/WaterTestingLabsLocalCNY.pdf. They will provide information, sampling instructions and 250 ml
containers for proper testing. You may also call the Tompkins County Health
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Department for more information on testing at (607) 274-6688.

How can I reduce my exposure to lead that may be in the drinking
water if I choose not to have the water tested in my home?
Let the water run from the tap before using it for drinking or cooking any time
the water in a faucet has stood for more than six hours. Flushing the tap
means running the cold water faucet until the water gets noticeably colder,
about 30 seconds to a minute. If your house has a lead service line to the
water main, you may have to flush the water for a longer time, perhaps one
minute, before drinking. Although toilet flushing or showering flushes water
through a portion of your home's plumbing system, you still need to flush the
water in each faucet before using it for drinking or cooking.
Do not cook with or drink water from the hot water tap; lead dissolves more
easily into hot water. Do not use water from the hot water tap to make baby
formula. Boiling water will not reduce lead concentration.
Remove loose lead solder and debris from the plumbing by removing the
faucet strainers from all taps and running the water from 3 to 5 minutes.
Thereafter, periodically remove the strainers and flush out any debris that
has accumulated.

How do I go about replacing the lead water service pipe from the
City of Ithaca’s watermain to my home or business?
Hire a plumber licensed in the City of Ithaca. These plumbing professionals
are familiar with what needs to be done to replace your lead service pipes
with a new copper or ductile iron service pipe. A list of all City licensed
plumbers is available from the City’s Chief Plumbing Inspector. Call 272-1717
or visit the City of Ithaca Water & Sewer Division Offices at 510 First Street,
Ithaca, NY.

What are the costs associated with replacing the water service line
to my home or business?
The cost of replacing a water service varies depending on the length of
service, underground obstacles such as other utilities or rock, and
aboveground obstacles such as roads, trees, landscaping, driveways,
sidewalks, walls, porches, etc. Costs can also vary depending on whether one
or both sections of the water service need to be replaced. Typical water
services have two sections, a service pipe from the water main in the street
to the curb valve at the property line, and the section of service pipe from the
curb valve to the water meter in the building. The typical cost for
replacement of a water service ranges between $2,500 and $10,000.

Am I responsible for the cost of replacing the lead water service
line?
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Yes. Your service line runs from your property’s plumbing system to a water
curb valve located near your property line. This pipe is your property, and you
are responsible for replacing it. The service pipe then runs from the curb
valve to the City water main, generally located underneath the street. Under
Section 348-17 of the City of Ithaca Code, the replacement of an existing
service pipe from the curb valve to the water main is also at the
homeowner’s expense and may be performed only by the Water and Sewer
Division of the City’s Department of Public Works. After the installation of a
City-approved replacement line from the curb valve to the main, that portion
of the service pipe that is in the street will be maintained by the City.

Are there other reasons why I might want to replace the old lead
service to my home or business?
Yes. Typically, lead services were installed between 60 to 90 years ago and
are at or close to the end of their service life (failure). Scheduling the
replacement of the water service before failure gives you the advantage of
time to shop around, get the best price, and have the work done at a time
and on a schedule that least inconveniences you and those who use the
water in the house or business.
Additionally, the old lead services were typically sized to a diameter of onehalf inch versus the current standard of three-quarter inch. A three-quarter
inch service will provide better pressure at the tap, shower, washing machine,
etc., especially when more than one water fixture is being used at the same
time.
If you are thinking about selling your house, the NYS Property Condition
Disclosure Statements has a question about whether lead plumbing is
present. You might find that your house is more appealing to potential buyers
after the lead service has been replaced.
More Information on Lead in Drinking Water can be found at the following
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Web Site: https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-anddrinking-water
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