NOTICE OF SERVICE LINE MADE OF UNKNOWN MATERIAL

Para ver este aviso se desconoce el material de la linea de servicio en espanol, visite – https://www.120water.com/annual-notifications/unknown/

Dear Customer,

In accordance with the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) revised Lead and Copper Rule (LCRR), Beech Island Rural Community Water District recently added to our efforts to reduce possible lead exposure in drinking water. Over the last 36 months, BIWD conducted an initial inventory of our service lines that connect our water mains to your water meter to determine if any of the lines are made of lead.

During our work, BIWD was not able to determine the material used for the service line delivering water to your property. Because your line is “unknown,” there is the potential that some or all the service line could be made of lead or galvanized pipe that was previously connected to lead. People living in homes with a lead or galvanized pipe previously connected to a lead service line have an increased risk of exposure to lead from their drinking water.

It is important to note that finding a line of unknown material does not mean you have been exposed to lead. BIWD treatment process greatly reduces the possibility lead from service lines could end up in your water.

However, the existence of an unknown line may increase your risk of exposure. This letter serves to notify you of this risk, inform you of steps being taken by BIWD, and provide information to help you reduce your risk of lead exposure. If you feel our finding is inaccurate, or if you have any questions regarding this letter, please contact us at (803) 827-1004 or via email at customers@biwater.org

HEALTH EFFECTS OF LEAD

Exposure to lead in drinking water can cause serious health effects in all age groups. Infants and children can have decreases in IQ and attention span. Lead exposure can lead to new learning and behavior problems or worsen existing learning and behavior problems. The children of women who are exposed to lead before or during pregnancy can have increased risk of these adverse health effects. Adults can have increased risks of heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney, or nervous system problems.

WHAT BEECH ISLAND RURAL COMMUNITY WATER DISTRICT IS DOING TO PROTECT YOU FROM POTENTIAL EXPOSURE TO LEAD

It is important to note BIWD’s drinking water is lead-free when it leaves our treatment plant, but as water travels through our system to your faucet, lead can enter the water through service lines or the corrosion of plumbing materials in your private home or building plumbing.

Our water treatment process targets the possibility of lead entering our system or your plumbing, minimizing the possibility it may leach into the water. We perform routine water testing to ensure their treatment is effective and our overall results are published every year in our Water Quality Report.

At your property, the service line material on customer side is unknown and, under the Lead and Copper Rule, BIWD will continue our inventory work until all lines are identified. Ownership of the water service line is split between BIWD and the property owner as shown in the graphic on the front of this letter. BIWD owns the service line from the street to the curb stop, and the property owner is responsible for the service line from the curb stop to the building.

To help you reduce your potential exposure to lead, BIWD is providing a list of steps you can take to reduce lead in drinking water in the Frequently Asked Questions accompanying this letter.

Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is also available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (1-800-426-4791) or at www.epa.gov/safewater/lead. If you would like more information on reducing your overall lead exposure around your home and the health effects of lead, visit EPA’s website at www.epa.gov/lead or contact the National Lead Information Center (NLIC) at 1(800)424-5323.

BIWD thanks you for your consideration as we work together to remove possible exposure to lead from our water lines and your home or building plumbing. If you have any questions or concerns about your drinking water, please do not hesitate to contact us by calling (803) 827-1004 or by emailing us at customers@biwater.org

Sincerely,

Beech Island Rural Community Water District
State Water System ID: SC0220004
Date Notice Distributed: 11/11/2024