MassDEP explains what to do after receiving an EPA LCRR service‑line notice

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection released a guidance video explaining consumer notices required under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR), which took effect Oct. 16, 2024, and require community and nontransient noncommunity water suppliers to inventory service‑line materials and notify customers by Nov. 15, 2024, if their service line is a lead line, a galvanized line requiring replacement, or of unknown material.

The guidance matters because lead in drinking water can cause harm at any level and the notices trigger different next steps for homeowners, renters and water suppliers. A MassDEP staff member in the video said, "There is no safe level of lead in drinking water," and outlined health risks to pregnant people, infants and young children and separate risks to adults.

The video defines a service line as the pipe connecting the water main to a building's plumbing and explains two common ownership configurations: split ownership, where the water system owns the line from the main to the curb stop and the property owner owns the portion from the curb stop to the building; and single ownership, where either the water system or the property owner owns the entire service line. The presenter emphasized that ownership affects who is typically responsible for replacement costs and advised customers to check their consumer notice and contact their public water supplier (PWS) with questions.

MassDEP's guidance walks through the three notice types water suppliers must send under LCRR: confirmed lead service lines; galvanized service lines that require replacement because they may have absorbed lead when downstream of lead pipes; and unknown service lines, where the material has not been verified. The video explains that galvanized steel or iron that was once connected downstream of a lead line can retain lead and therefore is treated by EPA as a galvanized requiring replacement in many cases.

For unknown service lines, the video explains that the public portion often requires the water supplier to dig and inspect; if the unknown portion is on the customer side, homeowners may be able to identify materials themselves using EPA's "Protect: A Quick Check for Lead" guide or by submitting information (including photos) through the Massachusetts Lead Service Line Inventory web form if their PWS uses it. The presenter directed viewers to contact their PWS for instructions and to consult the Drinking Water Program public notification and emergency contacts spreadsheet if the supplier's contact details are not on the notice.

The guidance also covers testing and short‑term exposure reduction: ask your PWS about sampling and financing options; if unavailable, state‑certified lab testing may cost about $15 to $100 (homeowner responsibility). To reduce exposure while awaiting results, the video recommends flushing taps (with the caveat that flushing may not be appropriate in drought‑affected areas and users should check local guidance), using only cold water for drinking and food preparation, not boiling to remove lead, cleaning faucet aerators, and replacing plumbing fixtures that contain lead. The presenter recommended using filters certified to remove lead by NSF International.

The video closes by telling viewers to consult their consumer notice for local contact information, to contact their health care provider about blood testing for children if concerned, and to visit MassDEP and EPA web pages linked in the notice for more information. No regulatory or funding changes were announced in the video; it is instructional on implementation of the LCRR notification and inventory requirements.