JEA Launches Project to Expand Existing Lead Pipe Safeguards

2024-04-23

Jacksonville, FL - JEA is taking inventory of all water service lines in our service territory as part of a nationwide effort to further protect residents from the dangers of drinking water contaminated by lead. The project is being launched to comply with a newly passed addendum to the Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) that was established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1991.

This new guidance, known as the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR), is designed to strengthen requirements for the safety of drinking water in the United States and complete the replacement of lead service lines throughout the country. 

Kevin Holbrooks, JEA's director of environmental operations, emphasized the project's importance: “We are deeply committed to the stewardship of our community’s water supply. This project is essential for identifying any lead pipes still in our water system. This effort shows our dedication to providing clean and reliable water to our communities."

JEA’s Water Service Line Verification Project will help determine whether there are any lead water service lines remaining in the water system. This will be a multi-year project rolled out in phases.

• Phase 1 will include verification of water service lines within JEA’s service territory as well as inspections of more than 400 randomly selected customer water service lines.
• Phase 2 will call for customers to complete a water service line self-verification if their home was built prior to June 1986, when the Safe Drinking Water Act was amended to prohibit plumbing material that was not lead-free.

If a customer’s line is found to contain lead or lead materials, JEA will provide information about steps that can be taken to reduce possible lead exposure from drinking water. If a customer plans to replace their water service line, JEA recommends contacting a licensed plumber in good standing with the Better Business Bureau. Service line replacement costs from the meter to the home or inside the home are the responsibility of the customer.

The revised EPA requirements, established in 2020, are the federal agency’s first major update to the LCR in nearly 30 years. Since 1991, JEA has conducted testing for lead every three years in a sampling of homes in Northeast Florida, in accordance with EPA policy. The EPA’s updated LCRR requires new sampling plans based on a complete pipe inventory and strengthens all aspects of requirements to better protect children and communities from the risks of lead exposure.

When potable water leaves JEA’s multiple Water Treatment Plants, it complies with all federal and state standards. JEA performs an average of 45,000 water tests each year, with the samples examined for more than 100 bacteriological and chemical components. View our annual water quality reports here.

JEA customers can learn more about the project and get tips on protecting themselves from the possibility of lead exposure at jea.com/LCRR. Customers may also contact JEA’s Water Quality team at wtrqual@jea.com or 904-665-4521 if they would like to request a water test at their home.

Category:

• conservation
• customer
• water