How does lead get into drinking water?
- The water that Denver Water provides to homes and businesses is lead-free, but lead can get into the water as it moves through lead-containing household fixtures, plumbing and water service lines — the pipe that brings water into the home from the main in the street — that are owned by the customer.
- While lead service lines haven’t been used in Denver Water’s service area since the 1950s, our analysis shows that some homes built between 1983 and 1987 have lead solder connecting sections of their interior plumbing. Having lead solder doesn’t necessarily mean you have elevated levels of lead in your water. For decades, Denver Water has protected its customers from the effects of customer-owned lead-containing household plumbing in a variety of ways, including adjusting the pH of the water we deliver. A higher pH creates a protective coating inside water pipes, reducing the risk of lead from getting into drinking water.
How long will it take to complete the program?
- Through the Lead Reduction Program, Denver Water is accelerating the pace of replacing customer-owned lead service lines at no direct cost to the customer. When initially launched, all lead service lines were slated to be removed by 2035.
- Federal funding was awarded December 2022 and allows the Lead Reduction Program to be further accelerated and completed in less time. For every 4,500 additional lead service lines replaced using these funds, the overall length of the program will be one year shorter.
- Denver Water is also replacing lead service lines when discovered during water main replacement work or other projects.
I saw that Denver Water is getting federal funding for the Lead Reduction Program. What does that mean?
- The Lead Reduction Program received more than $76 million in federal funding. The funding is helping to fast-track the program, replacing thousands more customer-owned lead service lines in the next few years than had been originally anticipated.
- On Oct. 7, 2022, the Colorado Water Resources and Power Development Authority Board approved $76,123,628 million for Denver Water to use for lead service line replacements. Funds will come to Denver Water from the Colorado Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, which is receiving money to distribute from the federal bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act signed into law by President Joe Biden in November 2021.
- The Colorado Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program is administered by the Colorado Water Resources and Power Development Authority with funding provided by the Environmental Protection Agency. The Lead Reduction Program and associated lead service line replacements will provide water quality benefits by removing lead in drinking water at its primary source for communities in the Denver Water service area.
- All funding will go directly to performing lead service line replacements. This funding allows the Lead Reduction Program to be further accelerated and completed in less time. For every 4,500 additional lead service lines replaced using these funds, the overall length of the program will be one year shorter. Denver Water already plans to replace nearly 5,000 service lines each year.
- Find out more about federal funding on TAP.