Youngstown water department working to rid thousands of homes of lead pipes
More than 52 thousand Youngstown residents have until June 30 to complete a survey regarding lead pipe service lines in their homes.
The surveys are part of the city's push to identify and map areas of their water distribution systems that are known or likely to contain lead service lines for the Ohio EPA by October 16, 2024.
They are also required to identify and provide a description of the characteristics of buildings served by the system that may contain lead solder, fixtures or pipes, according to the agency.
Nick D'Alesio, the city's water quality compliance coordinator, tells 21 News that no one is in danger of lead poisoning.
"This survey is strictly to gather information with our customers' help," D'Alesio said. "There are no concerns about our water quality as well as no cost or further action required by the homeowner other than the survey."
"They don't have to worry. We test our water everyday," said Harry Johnson, Youngstown water commissioner. "We have to meet a certain threshold where the lead component needs to be below a certain level, we pass all the time," he said.
If residents do not return the survey, D'Alesio said they will determine the likelihood the house has lead pipe line based on the year it was built.
According to a letter sent to residents on May 15, the information provided in the survey will help city officials update their records and allow them to pinpoint placements of lead lines for future replacement projects. There are no immediate plans to replace lead lines for residential structures.
The city plans to have all lead removed from its water distribution system by the year 2050.
Lead in service lines can date back as far as 1897. Prior to 1988, lead pipes and lead solder were commonly used in the United States for interior plumbing. The Ohio EPA suggests that structures built after 1988 are less likely to have lead than those built before 1988.