Winston Salem Times

Some local water customers in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County will soon receive important notifications from the WSFC Utilities. Approximately 3,800 residential or commercial customers will be informed about the material of their private service line pipes. The notices will specify if the pipes are made of lead, galvanized requiring replacement, or are unknown.

WSFC Utilities oversees nearly 160,000 private service lines connected to the public water system. Less than three percent of these customers will be notified via mail. To view their Initial Service Line Inventory as required by the EPA, residents can visit cityofws.org/pipes and enter an address on the online dashboard. Most other private service lines have been classified as non-lead due to post-1987 construction regulations when North Carolina implemented a lead ban.

This identification effort is part of a new EPA rule that prohibits utility staff from entering private properties for inspection. WSFC Utilities emphasizes customer cooperation in identifying any remaining underground lead water pipes across the nation. Until confirmation of pipe material is obtained, annual notification from utilities is mandated by the EPA. Customers are encouraged to self-report using a QR code or visiting cityofws.org/pipes to expedite this process.

For over two decades, WSFC Utilities has supplied tap water meeting federal quality standards since adopting a corrosion control method in 1992 that prevents lead leaching into drinking water. Further information regarding pipe replacement will follow in subsequent phases of this program.

Customers with inquiries about their Lead Compliance Program or water quality can contact CityLink through various methods listed at cityofws.org/citylink and subscribe for updates at cityofws.org/notifyme.

The EPA warns that exposure to lead in drinking water poses serious health risks across all age groups, affecting infants' IQs and behavior while increasing adults' risks for cardiovascular and nervous system issues.