Lead and Copper Survey – Louisiana

Providing safe, reliable water and wastewater service is our commitment to you. Before it gets to your home, water travels through service lines – pipes that connect water mains to your property. Millions of homes in the United States have service lines made of lead that can contaminate water running through the pipe.

Under new drinking water regulations issued by the EPA, all water systems must inventory service lines to identify any made of lead. 

This requirement includes service lines you own. Your participation is needed to help us identify lead lines, comply with these regulations, and continue to protect your water quality.

Please complete our Lead Service Line Survey with information about the residence/premise associated with your account. *Please also include 1-2 photos showing your service line.*

If you have more than one account with us (e.g., you are the owner of several rentals), service lines need to be identified for all the addresses associated with your accounts.

If you are NOT the owner of the property where you receive our utility services, please forward this survey on to the appropriate owner.

Lead is toxic to humans, especially when it contaminates drinking water. While lead has been virtually eliminated from public utility water systems, it can still be found in older home plumbing.

 The U.S. EPA has declared the elimination of lead in drinking water a national health priority, with a key focus being Lead Service Lines — the pipes that connect homes and businesses to public watermains.

Water service lines can be made of lead (LSLs) or use lead in soldered joints. Watch the video or follow the written steps below to perform a visual inspection of your water service line to determine what it’s made of. Then complete the Lead Service Line Survey.

Water meters and curb stop valves can help you locate where water service lines enter your home. If present, they’re typically located at the front of the property near the street or sidewalk, in ground-level boxes marked “water” or “meter”. Once found, walk the shortest path to your home – that’s where the service line pipe will enter through the floor or foundation wall. It will likely have a shut-off valve a short distance from where it enters.

Once you’ve located where the service line pipe enters your home, find a spot on the pipe closest to the wall/floor before it connects to a valve and/or meter. This is where you will verify the pipe’s material.

Have the following items with you:

• Refrigerator Magnet to test if the pipe is made of steel
• Coin or Key to scratch the pipe to reveal the metal’s color and hardness
• Flashlight or Mobile Phone Light to see clearly

Water service lines can be made of a variety of materials, including:

Plastic: Plastic pipes are found in a variety of materials and colors. When tapped with a coin, they won’t produce a ringing sound like metal pipes will. If your line is plastic, it’s a more recent installation, and will also be free of lead solder. Chances are your home’s internal plumbing is also of low risk for lead.

Copper: If the pipe is orange and shiny like a penny when scratched, your pipe is made of copper. A magnet will not stick to it. Though your service line pipe isn’t a source of lead, it could have lead in soldered joints. You may still want to test your water for contamination from other sources in your plumbing, especially if it’s an older system.

Galvanized Steel / Iron: If the pipe is silvery gray, and hard to scratch, place your magnet on it. If the magnet sticks, your pipe is galvanized steel or galvanized iron. Galvanized pipes may be sources of lead, as they can trap it on inside surfaces and contaminate water even after lead plumbing is removed. If you have a galvanized pipe, it indicates an older installation, and you should have your water tested.

Lead: If the pipe is silvery gray and –

• is easily scratched,
• the metal seems soft, and
• a magnet doesn’t stick to it, you likely have a lead pipe.

If you have a lead service line, it should be replaced. Please contact us first to ensure the utility-owned portion is inspected and replaced (if needed) at the same time. Partial service line replacement can actually increase the amount of lead released into your water. Until then, you should follow the previous recommendations to reduce your exposure to lead. You should also consider water filters for drinking and cooking, especially if high-risk individuals live in the home.

EPA legislation requires regulated water utilities to implement programs to help consumers identify Lead Service Lines on their property. We’re beginning this work with the Lead Service Line Survey.

Even if your testing indicates your home doesn’t have a Lead Service Line, we still encourage you to complete the Survey. It will help us inventory LSLs in the community for the benefit of all residents.