Posts

Service Line Inventory Letters

/in , , , , , , , /by

EPA/Iowa DNR: Lead Service Line Inventory Letters

 

The City of Ida Grove sent letters out last week to inform some of our residents about the service line material at their home. This letter was not a reflection on the Ida Grove water quality but is an effort to inform the public that the water service line that runs from the public water main to their home may have at one time contained lead. Lead water lines were used in older houses but many of those lines have been replaced.

In an effort to update water service line infrastructure throughout the country, the DNR and EPA are requiring communities to conduct a review of their current records. Our service records are based on notes from previous operators over many decades and may no longer be accurate. If homeowners have updated water line material to their home, please let us know by contacting City Hall at (712)364-2428 or email Luke at [email protected]. We are required to submit and maintain a current record on the state’s portal system. We must also notify any homeowners if we are not certain that the waterline feeding their house is or ever was lead or downstream of plumbing containing lead.

The letters that were sent out last week were to update the residents of our findings.  Over the next 3 years the city will be updating records by contacting residents and performing onsite confirmation of the service line material. In some cases, the service line will have to be exposed through excavation at the property. If the line is confirmed to be made of lead, then the line will be replaced.

 

Lead & Copper Sampling

/in , , , , , , /by

Last year a new well was added to the water system. The City of Ida Grove is required to increase monitoring of Lead and Copper to assess how the new water may affect the metal pipes in the distribution system. To help locate qualifying sites to monitor the water we have provided a short survey to see if your home meets the DNR’s monitoring criteria. These sample sites are needed this month because samples are due back to the DNR in June and a follow up round of samples are due by December.

Please fill out the form even if your home doesn’t qualify. The EPA has implemented new Lead service line inventory monitoring. This form will also help the city update our records for the lead service inventory in October.

The sampling process is simple for the lead and copper testing. A labeled bottle will be filled with a cold-water kitchen or bath faucet in the morning after at least 6 hours without flow. This sample would be picked up by city staff that morning.

Click Here To View Form

Water Discoloration

/in , , , , , , , /by

Many of the changes in the water you’re seeing lately are due to introducing the new well into the City water system. As with any change, it takes some time to work out all the kinks. We are aware of and working to address the color in the water. The discoloration is produced by iron presence in the water being oxidized by the chlorine that is used to disinfect the system. The colored water is not harmful for human consumption and will settle out. The well output has been reduced from the new well to reduce the amount of iron moving in the system. This is similar to the effects of hydrant flushing.

We assure you regular tests are being performed and passed per Iowa DNR requirements.