On August 4, 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released guidance on conducting a lead service line inventory for compliance with the revised Lead and Copper Rule. The Collaborative is in the process of updating its materials to reflect U.S. EPA's guidance. Stay tuned for updated materials.
Preparing an Inventory:
Understanding Available Resources
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Existing data can provide information necessary to build an LSL inventory. The tables below describe the benefits, drawbacks, and where to look for different types of data. It is important to note that accuracy varies from place to place.
Lead service line installation
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Construction practice
Sources |
Description |
Pros |
Cons |
Possible Locations |
Utility construction standards and specifications |
Water systems provide their own staff, contractors, and plumbers with standards for construction including service lines |
Good reference: informed practice by water system and plumbers |
Retention policy for these documents may be inconsistent; limited opportunity |
Water system / municipal water department’s administrative records; governing body (city or town council, etc.) records |
Plumbing code; local ordinance |
State and community plumbing codes specify, often by reference, pipe standards and specifications |
Good reference: informed practice by water system and plumbers |
Retention policy for these documents may be inconsistent; state plumbing codes are less likely to be useful than local codes |
Municipal building permit / code enforcement department administrative records; governing body (city or town council, etc.) records; agency overseeing state plumbing code’s administrative records |
Field experience |
Interviews with experienced water system distribution system field staff and plumbers active in the system’s service area |
Can be used to: inform where to focus inventory effort and verify practice reflected in existing documentation; confirm absence of lead service lines |
Some communities may lack a long-term internal workforce or a local plumbing workforce; relies on memory of available field personnel; personnel interviewed are only familiar with the portion of the service line their work affected |
Existing and retired water system personnel; local plumbing companies; local plumbers union |
Summary notations of practice |
Reports to governing bodies, internal memoranda, purchasing records, annual reports, etc. |
Describes both water system and plumbing community practice |
Retention policy for these documents may be inconsistent |
Water systems / municipal water department |
Parcel records
Sources |
Description |
Pros |
Cons |
Possible Locations |
Tax records |
Municipal tax records provide a database that typically contains the date of home construction |
Electronic resource; typically includes address, subdivision, building age, number of bedrooms / square footage (information that can be used to compare against construction practice to assess likelihood of a lead service line); typically map is available |
Requires cross-referencing with construction practice information from other sources; does not have information specifically about lead service line |
Municipal tax assessor’s office; centralized municipal government GIS office |
Historical accounts
Sources |
Description |
Pros |
Cons |
Possible Locations |
Distribution system maps and record drawings |
Should be a primary source of service line and connection information including materials, line sizes, and dates |
Useful indicating historical growth of system |
May lack desired level of detail, retention policy for these documents may be inconsistent |
Water systems / municipal water department |
Capital improvement plans and maps |
Historical CIPs can provide insight into historical installation patterns; current CIPs can be used to inform field investigations |
Useful indicating historical growth of system |
May lack desired level of detail, retention policy for these documents may be inconsistent |
Water systems / municipal water department |
Community planning documents and maps |
Subdivision plots, planning reports, records of housing starts, types and placement of initial construction, and reconstruction / renovation efforts can be used to determine which homes were constructed during time period lead service lines were used |
Generally available information |
Requires cross-referencing with construction practice information from other sources; may require a combination of historical documents to establish construction patterns at level of detail required |
Municipal planning departments, regional planning agencies, public library, local historical society |
Newspaper accounts |
Changes in policy on topics of interest to the public, like lead, are sometimes captured in local media accounts |
Generally available information |
Limited potential for useful information |
Newspaper, public libraries, local historical society |