Lead pipes to be inspected throughout St. Joseph
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) -- Over 16,000 homes and businesses throughout St. Joseph will be checked for potential lead service lines.
The City of St. Joseph announced contractors C.E. Bollmeier, M Con LLC and John Jackson Plumbing LLC, working on behalf of Missouri American Water, will inventory homes and businesses.
The work is part of a year-long, federally required Lead Service Line Inventory Program and Service Line Replacement Program.
Missouri American Water contractors will knock on doors to request a brief inspection of the water service line where it enters the home or business. Letters will be sent ahead of inspections; however, they will be sent to the property owner of record, so renters may not receive them directly.
In 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalized the first major update to the Lead and Copper Rule in nearly 30 years.
The update requires water systems to identify and report the material of both the utility-owned and customer-owned portions of each service line and complete a full inventory of all lines, especially in homes built before 1989.
Missouri American Water has reliable records for the utility-owned side of these lines, but it does not have complete information for the customer-owned portion.
Inspections are expected to take a few minutes and will occur Monday through Saturday during daytime hours, according to a news release from the City of St. Joseph.
If a resident is not home, workers will leave a door hanger with instructions on how to schedule an appointment or self-report pipe information. All contractors will carry Missouri American identification and travel in marked vehicles.
Once inventory is complete, Missouri American Water's contractor will begin contacting and scheduling customers for replacements of lead service lines at no direct cost to the customer.
Missouri American Water said if a service line contains lead, it does not mean the service line cannot be used; the company regularly tests for lead in drinking water, and the water meets state and federal water quality regulations, including services with lead.
Missouri American Water's 2024 Water Quality Report said crews monitor lead and copper by pulling 60 water samples from customers' taps every six months. The typical source of metal contamination in water has been due to household corrosion systems.
The water supplier has pledged to replace all lead service lines by 2030, and goes "above and beyond" the federal requirements, according to the news release.
The City said anyone with concerns may call Missouri American Water at 1-866-430-0820 to verify the legitimacy of crews or email MOServiceLineGroup@amwater.com with inquiries.
Contractors will not force entry. If a resident is uncomfortable, they may request a return visit at another time.
