An update to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Lead and Copper Rule means that every public water system in the country has to inventory each water service line. That’s to screen them for toxic materials.
Alaska’s big cities had to complete their inventories earlier this year. But now, it’s small-town Alaska’s turn. Smaller communities in the state have until the end of July to inventory as many water lines as they can.
By the end of this month, Petersburg residents will get something extra with their utility bill: a survey, along with instructions on how to find out what your service line is made out of.
Petersburg’s Water Department is asking residents to help out with the survey: and that would entail going into their basements, utility rooms, and crawlspaces to examine the service lines that connect their houses to the community water supply.
Petersburg Utility Director, Karl Hagerman, says he’s extremely confident that Petersburg’s water distribution system is safe. The town’s water supply cleared its most recent annual inspection, as it has every year for over a decade. But Hagerman says it’s still important for residents to help create an inventory of the service lines inside their homes.
Hagerman says that there was a window of time where Petersburg property owners were able to install whatever type of service main they wanted to, and the materials they used weren’t tracked by any entity. Hagerman says this survey would help keep people safe from harmful materials that might remain in Petersburg.
Funding for the initiative to identify and replace Alaska’s unsafe pipes comes from a $28 million grant from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda.
If you have any questions about the survey or Petersburg’s water quality, you can call the Public Works Department at: (907)772-4430 or the Water Department at: (907)772-4760.
Editor’s note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that Petersburg’s Water Department is looking to locate and replace copper service lines. The purpose of the survey is to ensure that there are no lead service mains remaining in the community.
