What is SPRWS doing about lead?
Treatment
Lead can leach from lead service lines or lead solder in the home. To reduce leaching, we treat our water by constantly monitoring and adjusting the pH and alkalinity levels. This process, called corrosion control, creates a protective scale on the inside of the pipe between the water and the lead. Our treatment processes are in strict compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act, Lead and Copper Rule, and Minnesota Department of Health regulations.
Our lead corrosion control treatment process:
- Add lime and sodium hydroxide to the water to increase the water’s pH levels so that the water is minimally corrosive to lead
- Add chlorine as a disinfectant for added protection
- The two water chemistry adjustments work together to form a protective film covering surfaces that have lead which minimizes how much lead can enter the water
- We then check the effectiveness of this process per regulations
Testing
We test our water for lead often. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires the testing we do as part of the federal Safe Drinking Water program.
Investigating Complaints
We take all water quality complaints and issues seriously. If you are experiencing an issue, contact us at 651-266-6350.
We respond to customer complaints about water quality, such as colored water or taste and odor concerns. We will flush the system in problem areas and test the water if there are taste and odor or health complaints.
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