The City of Houston announced this week it's working to identify and replace lead pipes as part of a new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Lead and Copper Rule. This requires water utilities to identify and replace lead pipes within 10 years to make sure residents have access to clean drinking water.
Houston Public Works is sending notices to 429,662 customers in their water bills, informing them that their water service line is made of unknown materials. So, if you get one, it does not mean your pipes contain lead; it just means the city doesn't know what they contain.
As of now, the city says it has not found any lead pipes in its service lines.
This comes after the White House ordered cities nationwide to remove all lead pipes by the next decade.
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Anyone with a service line of unknown material will receive this notification no later than Nov. 15.
The city also created an inventory map that allows you to find your address and view current records of the material used in your water service line. It will let you self-report what type of pipes you have and include photographs.
If your water service line is unknown, the city will provide any next steps you'll need to follow.
For more information, visit the Houston Public Works website.