The Environmental Protection Agency asking municipalities to check their water pipes for lead. This federally mandated inventory of publicly-owned drinking water pipes has determined that there are no known lead pipes in DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management’s (DWM) inventory. Letters sent to citizens asked homeowners to make sure that there are no lead pipes in their homes by completing an online survey. I reached out to DeKalb Watershed Management to ask about the federal mandate and what citizens should know.
Maria Houser, DeKalb County’s Director of Consent Decree and Environmental Compliance joined us to discuss.
Houser explains that water is the backbone of civilization. It is how humans have been able to develop communities, grow, and expand. She goes on to say that the letters sent were to increase awareness about lead pipes that may be in homes built during the forties, fifties, and sixties. Many homeowners who have done maintenance on plumbing projects over the years may have already replaced aging lead and copper pipes in their homes.
Due to the federal mandate, DeKalb Watershed Management ensures that there are no lead pipes in the publicly owned water lines that supply water to our homes and businesses. Houser recommends that homeowners use the voluntary online form to update the county. The main concern is the service line running from the street to your home or business. This request is being made by most counties and/or municipalities in the country.
I asked Houser about testing tap water in our homes or businesses for lead and she speaks about the Georgia Division of the Environmental Protection Agency.
Most of us don’t think about watershed management when we consider infrastructure. We see infrastructure projects on highways and roads but the water mains and pipes are hidden from view. Houser speaks about the continuous need to educate citizens about water safety. I asked how she came to have a career in watershed management. Houser began her career as an Engineer before becoming a lawyer and specializing in water management and compliance is her specialty. She also speaks about programming that introduces the career to young people in local schools.
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