GREAT FALLS — If you live in downtown Great Falls, the city wants you to check your pipes to make sure you don't have any lead pipes. And if you do have lead pipes, it's time to replace them.
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Mark Juras, Development Review Coordinator for Great Falls Public Works said, “We're looking for the folks who still are, the 4000 who still have the unknown service line types to respond.”
Juras explains that the city sent letters in November to houses with unknown types of pipes.
Last month, in order to get more responses, they went door to door.
Juras said, “We've knocked on about 4000 doors. As of today, we've had about 450 successful entries where we've identified that material of that service line. We've had about 250 people call back in response to the door hanger we've left on their door.”
So far, the city has only found one percent of homes to have lead pipes, and three percent to have galvanized pipes, but there is still work to be done.
Derek Gray, the owner of Water Boyz in Great Falls, said, “It's a disaster waiting to happen in some cases.”
Gray has been plumbing for 16 years. He says that there are tips that a homeowner can use to find out if they have lead pipes.
Gray said, “Look for metal piping for your water supply. And if it's not copper, it's not plastic, that is a good telltale sign.”
Replacing the pipes is up to the homeowner and can be an expensive undertaking, but it is important to do it now rather than risk potential lead poisoning, or to wait for the EPA mandate, which says all replacements must occur between 2027 and 2037, or 10% per year for ten years, to begin.
Gray said, “Getting a plumber out and getting an estimate is big, you know, because they can at that point get you the information you need.”
If you're wondering if your pipes are lead, you can try to stick a magnet to them, because magnets will not stick to lead pipes. You can also scratch the pipe and see if it leaves behind a gray or silver mark.
For more information, call the City's Water Service Inventory Hotline at 406-455-8401, click here, or email waterserviceline@greatfallsmt.net.
