Frequently Asked Questions

The Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) was first issued by the EPA in 1991 as part of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) is the primary state agency responsible for implementing the SDWA.

The purpose of the LCR is to protect public health by minimizing lead and copper exposure in drinking water. Since 1991, several revisions and improvements have been made to the rule.

This latest rule revision requires us to:

• Catalogue and make an accessible inventory map for our community by October 2024.
• If any water service lines are identified during the inventory as being within the parameters of the LCRR, we will create a service line replacement plan for our community by October 2024.

Read more about the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions and Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's information on the revised rule.

The City of Westminster has not detected lead in our drinking water. If lead has been detected in a customer's drinking water, it may be a result of the plumbing inside a building including household fixtures, solder, and plumbing materials. The most common sources of lead in drinking water come from water service lines that contain lead or are made from galvanized steel.

Galvanized steel is safe and contains no lead; however, lead can accumulate on the interior surface of galvanized steel pipes that are downstream of lead pipes or pipes that have lead solder.

There is no known safe level of lead exposure, and lead can build up in the body over time. Exposure to lead can cause damage to the brain, nervous system, red blood cells, and kidneys. Lead also has the potential to cause lower IQs, hearing impairments, reduced attention span, hyperactivity, developmental delays, and poor classroom performance. Pregnant women and their fetuses are especially vulnerable to lead exposure because lead can significantly harm the fetus, causing lower birth weight and slowing normal mental and physical developments. Adult lead exposure can cause high blood pressure and brain, kidney, and reproductive health issues.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, through the LCRR requires identification of the pipe materials for all drinking water service lines in the city using two levels of confirmation of service line material. The first confirmation of pipe material was performed during the single-family residential meter replacement program in 2019, The City confirmed that there are no lead service lines in single-family residential homes between City water mains and residential meter pits. Copper service lines were found coming into the water meter pit and leaving the water meter pit toward the home.

Westminster has limited options for completing the second level of confirmation. Confirmation of the pipe material at a second location on the customer-owned side of the water service line, such as where the service line enters the interior of the building is the most cost-effective option. While the City has records of the system-owned service lines from the water main in the street to the customer's meter pit, there is little information available about the customer-owned portion from the water meter into the home or building.

This guidance from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) can help customers identify the material of your service line: Service Line Materials Identification Sheet. The City will publish their inventory in fall 2024.

The City adjusts the pH of the treated drinking water to a level that is non-corrosive (raising the pH of the raw water from as low as 7 at times during the year, to a treated water pH of approximately 8.7). The City also adds calcium to the water, which increases hardness and helps form a calcium carbonate scale on the inside of pipes. This barrier on the pipe wall helps prevent water from coming into contact with and potentially corroding different pipe materials.

If any water service lines require replacement under the Lead and Copper Rule (LCRR), the City will contact impacted homeowners.

If you suspect your home has lead or galvanized steel in the plumbing, there are a few immediate steps you can take to minimize exposure.

• Use a water filter certified to remove lead to NSF Standard 53 for drinking and cooking. Replace the filter according to the manufacturer's instructions.
• Use only cold water for drinking, cooking, and making infant formula. Boiling the water does not remove lead and hot water often contains higher levels of lead than cold water.
• Run the water for two minutes at the start of the day or after the water has stagnated for several hours. You can also run the dishwasher, take a shower, or do a load of laundry to help flush water in your internal plumbing before drinking or cooking.
• Regularly clean your faucet's screen, also known as an aerator.
• Replace pre-2014 faucets with new "lead-free" options at locations used for drinking.

Learn more on the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) website.