Lead & Copper Service Line Inventory

In July 2024 the Madison County Water Department completed a survey of the water service line material in the County owned distribution system. This survey was conducted to meet the requirements of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Lead and Copper Rule (LCRR), as implemented by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM). The EPA Lead and Copper Rule regulations seek to identify and eliminate sources of lead in older drinking water service lines.

The results of the survey indicate that no lead service lines or galvanized lines requiring replacement are present within the Madison County Water distribution system.

The following methodology was followed for the survey:

Tax records from Madison County Tax Assessor were used to identify properties with structures built prior to 1990 (the State of Alabama banned lead in piping and plumbing materials in January 1989). A total of 10,009 addresses were identified as having structures constructed prior to 1990. Addresses were grouped into areas and then assigned to field crews for inspection. Field crews then used mobile GIS to check material on both the customer side of the meter and the County side and confirm whether or not lead was present. An additional 33,585 properties were identified as having a structure built after 1990, or having water service installed after 1990 and were not inspected. These properties were assumed to have plastic service lines on both County and Customer side and were not inspected in the field. Of the services examined, no lead service lines were found.

If you would like to know more about the LCRR and Service Line Inventory regulations, please follow the links below to read information from EPA and ADEM. 

https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/revised-lead-and-copper-rule

https://www.adem.alabama.gov/programs/water/drinkingwater/leadcopper.cnt