During a recent government meeting, Boulder officials provided an update on the city's water service and inventory projects, emphasizing compliance with new federal and state requirements aimed at ensuring safe drinking water. Megan Schoetter, the water quality compliance project manager, outlined the ongoing efforts to inventory water service lines within the city, particularly focusing on identifying and replacing any lead lines.

The project involves a comprehensive review of historical records and visual inspections of service lines, with staff having classified approximately 25,000 of the 28,000 service lines as copper or assumed copper. Notably, no lead lines have been discovered thus far, and less than 0.1% of the lines are galvanized. However, around 10% of the service lines remain classified as unknown, primarily located in older neighborhoods built before 1956.

Schoetter explained that the city is following state guidance to statistically sample these unknowns, with plans for about 340 visual inspections to determine their material type. The findings will help inform whether further investigations are necessary or if the unknown lines can be assumed to be non-lead.

The meeting also addressed the historical context of water line materials, with discussions highlighting the transition from galvanized to copper lines due to deterioration and other factors. Officials reassured residents that Boulder does not face the same issues seen in other cities, such as Flint, Michigan, where lead contamination has been a significant concern.

In terms of next steps, the city plans to publish its inventory online in October, allowing residents to check the material type of their water service lines. If any lead lines are identified, the city will implement a replacement plan, and affected residents will be provided with water filters in the interim.

The meeting concluded with a commitment to ongoing transparency and communication with the public regarding water quality and safety measures.