From staff reports The city’s Public Utilities Department has asked residents to assist in an inventory of water lines throughout Lawton.
“This is in response to recent regulations issued by the Environmental Protection Agency, that all public water supply systems are required to develop a comprehensive lead service line inventory of publicly owned and customer-owned service lines,” said Caitlin Gatlin, the city’s communications manager.
The process to inventory publicly owned lines has already begun. The City of Lawton is working with the Comanche County Tax Assessor to identify homes built and service lines installed prior to 1991 that are connected to water meters. That year is significant because it marks the adoption of plumbing codes in Lawton that restrict the use of lead in plumbing fixtures, Public Utilities Director Rusty Whisenhunt related.
Additionally, the city is identifying lines during ongoing waterline replacement projects throughout town, Whisenhunt said. According to Mayor Stan Booker, 26 miles of new water lines have been built, are under construction, or are in the planning and design stage.
The challenge that arises is the fact that many customer-owned service lines, typically installed by private plumbers, are not recorded by the city, Whisenhunt said. Consequently, he said, the Public Utilities Department is providing a survey to residents that will assist in collecting data.
The survey can be found at https:// arcg.is/0nCSvD and will lead citizens through the process of checking their service lines to determine the material of their pipes. The Public Utilities Department is developing a Lead/Galvanized Replacement Program to assist citizens who find their service lines are composed of lead or galvanized steel, Whisenhunt said.
The City of Lawton also offers free lead testing for residents to ensure there is no lead above the permissible limit established by the EPA. “We urge residents to contact the city’s water treatment plant at (580) 529-2703 and ask for a chemist or lab tech to get started,” Gatlin said.
Initial reports on the water lines must be sent to the EPA by Oct. 16, she said.