Water Service Lines in CUD Network Are Verified Lead-Free

As of September 2024, Consolidated Utility District (CUD) has verified that all service lines within its network – a total of 70,788 service lines at the time of this writing – are free of lead in compliance with a mandate from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the state of Tennessee.

The report has been filed with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and has been accepted in advance of the due date of October 16, 2024.

Why This Matters …

Lead in water pipes has been linked to slowed growth, learning deficits, and lower IQ in children, problems related to childbirth for pregnant women, and cardiovascular issues and decreased kidney function in adults. Young children, infants, and unborn children are especially vulnerable because the effects of lead occur at lower exposure levels.

To perform the testing, CUD used a detection device that notes the differences between copper, galvanized, and lead pipe. None of the service lines examined fell into the category of lead or unknown materials. In some cases, CUD questioned its own findings and ran more testing to be sure.

Background Context

Per EPA guidance, CUD will update its list in October 2025 to include the service lines built within the past year. The EPA states that water utilities are required to verify their service line materials according to the date that went into effect for the lead ban, which was March 18, 1988.

CUD will update the list of service lines every year, though the list will only carry the new service lines for that year. Due to the existing lead ban, all of those would be lead free.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) website notes that the Lead and Copper Rule is the National Primary Drinking Water Regulation as enacted in 1991 and requires public water systems to reduce levels of lead and copper in drinking water. In January 2021, the EPA developed the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions with a deadline of October 16, 2024 for water systems to comply with the requirements.

The final report submitted by CUD included:

Background sources required for the review included: