Oct 21, 2024
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - The city of Oklahoma City has cataloged all its pipes in the water system. They're answering the question: "Who's exposed to lead pipes and where are they located?" "Lead is a neurotoxin," said Shellie Chard, the Water Quality Division Director, of the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality. "No level of lead is safe." LOCAL NEWS: Car insurance rates continue to rise, the cause behind it Chard was explaining why the EPA's Lead and Copper Rule Revision is so important. She said it started with the 2014 water crisis in Flint, Michigan, when residents were exposed to high amounts of lead in their water. "In Oklahoma, we're fortunate that we are a younger state in that we do not have anywhere near the number of lead pipes that we see across the country," said Chard. The federal government ordered an inventory of water systems nationwide documenting the water pipe systems in use, "It's been a lot of work," said Leigh Ann Kitsmiller, the regulatory compliance Manager for OKC. Kitsmiller said her utilities team worked for years, inspecting pipes and records kept over the decades. She said OKC didn't use lead pipes after 1945. "We have almost no lines, very few lines, on the city's side of it that have lead in it, and we're certainly making sure we're taking care of those," Mayor David Holt told News 4. Out of the 254,000 lines, only 173 are made from lead. The city said they are on their side and their responsibility. The city has compiled their data through an interactive map for residents. You can zoom into your area, or enter your address, to see what material you're exposed to. LOCAL NEWS: Homeowners facing lien notices despite paying for concrete work If you do have lead in your service line, you'll get a letter from the city explaining the situation and what's next. They also don't want you to worry. The city said they adjust the water chemistry to help ensure your safety. "There's processes that are in place to make sure that you're not getting lead, because lead doesn't just come off the pipes and go into the water unless the water is corrosive," said Kitsmiller. However, the DEQ wants you to remember, the state and federal government does not regulate what happens in your home. So if your plumbing, whether that be in your kitchen or bathroom, was installed before 1970, you should get your pipes checked or water tested.
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