In response to new federal and state regulations, the city of Newport’s Water Division is currently assessing both private and public service lines across for the presence of lead.

The new regulations, which went into effect earlier this year, require all water utilities across the country to assess their water service lines for the potential presence of lead in an effort to better guard communities and especially children from the risk of lead exposure in drinking water.

Like many historic communities, the city’s water distribution network contains a significant number of older homes and buildings, many of which may still have lead service lines. The Environmental Protection Agency’s Revised Lead and Copper Rule and Rhode Island’s Lead Poisoning Prevention Act are designed protect the public by reducing their exposure to lead in drinking water.

While the drinking water that leaves Newport Water’s treatment plants consistently meets all state and federal water quality standards, it may pick up lead in the system through the corrosion of plumbing materials, with buildings constructed before 1986 more likely to have lead pipes, fixtures, and solder.

“We want to assure our customers that Newport’s drinking water is safe and is tested regularly,” said Rob Schultz, the city’s director of utilities. “The work we are doing now, in compliance with new federal and state regulations, is to develop a detailed inventory of all our water service lines, including the customer’s side. To accomplish that, we need the community’s help to evaluate their service lines.”

Over the coming weeks, the Newport Water Division will be working toward that goal by:

Mailing notification letters by Nov. 15 to all customers who are served by either a lead service line or a service line of unknown material.

Submitting an inventory of service line materials to the Rhode Island Department of Health. This initial inventory documents the material of each service line within Newport’s water system, both publicly owned portions and privately owned portions. The city is responsible for the service lines from the water main to the curb stop, and private property owners are responsible from the curb stop to the faucets.

Publishing a lead service line inventory map on the city’s website for public access.

If the service line material is unknown, residents will be directed to a short online survey guiding them on how to identify and report the findings to the city. Residents who do not receive a letter don’t have a lead or unknown service line.