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Saint Paul Regional Water Services (SPRWS), which provides water to West St. Paul, recently found elevated lead levels in a random sampling. The lead leaches into the water from lead service lines that deliver water to homes. Of the 96,000 homes served by SPRWS, 28% have lead lines.
What to do: SPRWS is in the process of a 10-year program to replace lead lines at no cost to homeowners.
Local impact: More than 400 homes in West St. Paul have been identified as having lead service lines (or marked as unknown).
What about your home: You can check SPRWS’s online map to see if your home is affected. The vast majority of homes in West St. Paul are north of Butler Avenue, though a few dozen are south of Butler on the west side of the city.
What if we have lead: If your home has a lead service line, you can fill out a form to start the process. SPRWS is working on a plan to replace all lead lines efficiently, but it is a 10-year process. You can also get free lead testing, and SPRWS recommends flushing your water before using it to drink or cook with. You are welcome to hire a private contractor to replace your line, but SPRWS will not be able to compensate you.
What if we’re marked unknown: If the service lines are marked as unknown, you can request SPRWS send a technician to test your line and determine the material.
How bad is it: The random sampling included 105 homes with 13 showing elevated levels of lead. The levels were slightly higher than the Environmental Protection Agency’s threshold that triggers increased action. SPRWS’s goal is to have 90% of tests with lead levels below 15 parts per billion. This year’s results showed 90% with lead levels below 17 parts per billion.
Learn more: Visit SPRWS’s lead-free info page for more details.
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