In our last blog post, we looked at the seriousness of the lead problem in America today. It is neither a problem of the past nor relegated to lower income areas. Lead-containing water lines can be found all over our great nation including in the Denver Metro area. According to Denver Water, “homes and buildings most likely to have lead service lines are those built before 1951.” Quite a lot of Denver homes were built before 1951! Denver Water continues, “Homes built before 1987 may have lead solder in their plumbing.” Basically, if your house was built before 1987, you may want to test if you have lead in your water? For those looking to test their home, all Denver Water customers can get a free, at-home water quality test for lead online or by calling (303) 893-2444. If you are not in Denver Water’s jurisdiction, contact your local utility company.
As reported by KDVR in July of this year, Denver Water is looking to replace tens of thousands of service lines to ensure water is lead-free in every home, business, and school in Denver. Estimates say the project could cost up to $500 million. The article states, “There are anywhere from 50,000 to 90,000 lead service lines connected to the Denver Water system. Crews replace about 1,200 of those lines during annual construction projects, according to the utility.” Denver Water wants to make the replacements free for home and business owners, but water rates are projected to increase over the next 15 years to cover the $500 million cost. Though it’s quite a lot of money and it will be several years before it can be finished, Tom Neltner, the chemicals policy director for the Environmental Defense Fund, applauded Denver Water’s lead-removal plan and said it’s one of the most comprehensive in the country.
As of right now, Denver Water’s stance is that the property owner is responsible for the service line, but they have partnered with Denver Urban Renewal Authority (DURA) to help property owners with the financial burden. If you have performed your lead-water test and now find yourself in need of a water line replacement, make sure to contact Apex today for your FREE estimate! We have replaced thousands of lead water lines in the Denver Metro area and our highly trained crews are insured and licensed to handle most any underground wet utility service project. Don’t live with the dangers of lead in your water. Call Apex today!
Here’s a Denver Water map with estimates on the levels of lead found in various parts of Denver: https://www.denverwater.org/sites/default/files/lead-line-estimate-dw-service-area.pdf
