The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has outlined regulations aimed at reducing lead and copper levels in drinking water through the Lead and Copper Rule, established in 1991. This rule mandates public water systems to ensure safe drinking water. In January 2021, the EPA introduced the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions, setting a compliance deadline of October 16, 2024, for water systems across the United States.
One of the key requirements of this rule is for all water utilities to verify their service line materials, specifically those installed after the lead ban effective from March 18, 1988. In response, the Murfreesboro Water Resources Department (MWRD) has confirmed that all water service lines in its network are free from lead, complying with both EPA and State of Tennessee (TDEC) standards.
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To identify potential lead service lines, MWRD’s GIS and Operations & Maintenance (O&M) staff analyzed data on public water service lines, utilizing historic records such as street cards, tap records, and records from water replacement projects. Donald Hughes, the O&M Manager, certified that the use of 1” or 2” copper pipes began post-July 1986, with 1” or 2” Pex pipes used exclusively after 2019, or ductile iron pipes (DIP) for service lines larger than 2 inches.
For properties with service lines installed before July 1986, project file records were used to ascertain the types of materials used. O&M crews conducted field visits to all public and private water service lines installed prior to this date. They employed metal detection equipment designed to distinguish between copper, galvanized, and lead pipes, confirming the accuracy of the records. Their findings showed no service lines composed of lead or unknown materials.
MWRD completed their comprehensive report on May 7, 2024, consisting of 27,931 records. This report was submitted to TDEC and was accepted well before the October 16, 2024 deadline, demonstrating MWRD’s commitment to ensuring safe drinking water for the community.
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Tennessee Allocates Funds for Water Infrastructure Improvements
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and TDEC Commissioner David Salyers announced a $1.83 million loan for the Chuckey Utility District to improve water infrastructure, part of a larger $31.7 million initiative by the Tennessee Local Development Authority. The loan is part of the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Loan Program, offering favorable terms to support local waterline extensions. This program aims to provide low-interest loans to communities, with over $2 billion and $300 million provided through the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Loan Programs, respectively, since their inception.