DPW Launches Effort to Inform Residents About Lead In Pipes

Baltimore property owners will soon receive letters from the Department of Public Works (DPW) confirming whether their homes or businesses are connected to lead or galvanized water service lines.

The notifications are part of DPW’s effort to update the city’s water line inventory, in line with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Lead and Copper Rule Revisions. Adopted in 2021, the rule requires utilities nationwide to complete an inventory and create a plan to replace lead service lines.

Each letter will outline the identified pipe material and provide guidance on steps residents can take to limit exposure to lead. For properties where the pipe material remains unknown, owners will be asked to complete an online DPW survey.

Progress So Far
DPW completed its initial inventory in October 2024 and has since advanced its review. As of September, the department reported:

• 9,193 lead service lines (nearly 2% of total lines)
• 459 galvanized pipes marked for replacement
• 58,508 lines of unknown material (about 13% of the system)

To minimize disruptions, DPW is using predictive modeling to estimate pipe materials without excavation. More than 150,000 service lines have already been classified through this method.

Health Concerns
Water service lines connect a property to the main system and supply water to taps, toilets, and fixtures. Lead can enter drinking water when pipes corrode, but DPW emphasizes that Baltimore’s water chemistry is carefully managed to prevent corrosion.

The department notes that decades of testing show city water does not cause lead pipes to deteriorate, meaning residents should not be alarmed if their property is identified as having lead lines.

More details on the city’s lead pipe replacement efforts are available on DPW’s website.

Baltimore’s DPW Launches Effort to Inform Residents About Lead In Pipes  was originally published on wolbbaltimore.com