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Lead Service Line Inventory Project
Groton Utilities wants to make your involvement with this project as easy as possible. If you have received a letter from Groton Utilities, need help self-identifying your service line material type, or are a tenant of the property where you live click the appropriate button below.
Project Introduction
Quality water is essential for human health, ecosystem balance, economic development, and overall well-being. The importance of clean, safe, and reliable water cannot be understated and is of paramount importance to Groton Utilities. To that end Groton Utilities built a state-of-the-art water filtration plant in 2021 that provides the best water quality possible to the local community. Additionally, we are currently working on completing our Lead Service Line Inventory (LSLI) to comply with the EPAs Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR).
Water provided by Groton Utilities is lead-free when it leaves our treatment plant, but its quality may change as the water flows through the water service lines and in-home plumbing. In addition to fulfilling federal requirements, this project will improve Groton Utilities’ documentation of all system components, make more information available to the public, and proactively inform customers of water system infrastructure planning.
Lead Service Line Inventory Map
Click the map below to access the Lead Service Line Inventory map. Enter your address in the search bar on the top left side of the map, and then click the colored circle with the address number to view service details.
What is a Lead Service Line Inventory (LSLI)?
A Lead Service Line Inventory (LSLI) is a comprehensive record created by water utilities and municipalities to track and identify the presence of lead service lines (pipes that deliver drinking water from the main water line to individual properties). These inventories are mandated by regulatory agencies, such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to help address lead contamination in drinking water.
Groton Utilities (GU) is currently developing a drinking water service line inventory to comply with the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Lead and Copper Rule Revisions. Service lines are the pipes that connect individual buildings to the water mains that distribute water throughout the community.
Under the new EPA rules, GU is required to compile and submit an inventory of all service lines and their material of construction to the Connecticut Department of Public Health. This inventory must include all service lines within Groton Utilities’ water system.
Groton Utilities has created an initial inventory of lead service lines based on construction records, but those records are not complete. In addition to fulfilling federal requirements, this project will improve Groton Utilities’ documentation of all system components, make more information available to the public, and proactively inform customers of infrastructure planning.
What is a service line and who owns it?
A service line is a pipe that connects the water main in the street to your household plumbing. In Groton Utilities system the service line is owned by the property owner from the watermain (generally located in the street) into the residence. Please refer to the service line Diagram for a visual representation of the service line ownership within Groton Utilities’ system.
How does lead get into drinking water?
Groton Utilities is committed to providing a safe source of drinking water to its customers and works tirelessly to keep that commitment. Groton Utilities treats, tests, and distributes high-quality drinking water to you and the community. The water Groton Utilities provides every day is lead-free when it leaves the treatment plant and meets all EPA Drinking Water Standards. After water leaves the Groton Utilities’ water main, however, it may be exposed to lead as it flows through a lead service line and into in-home plumbing and fixtures. Not all homes contain lead service lines or fixtures. If your home was built before 1986, its service line may be made of lead. Make sure that any plumbing fixtures you install are certified to be lead-free.
Additionally, your interior home plumbing may be composed of copper pipe, joined with lead solder. If the chips of solder break off, they can become lodged in the aerator screen at the end of a faucet. Therefore we recommend cleaning your faucets' aerator screens regularly
How do I know if my water service line is made of lead?
If your home was built before 1986, there is a chance that your service line is made of lead. In addition to the inspections conducted by Groton Utilities contractors, you can take steps to self-identify the material of your service line. Identification of the type of material used for service lines and in-home plumbing can be done using a magnet and a coin or key. Please refer to the Customer Self-Identification handout for more detailed instructions on self-identifying the material of your service line.