Laredo utilities director says lead-and-copper compliance met, outlines main-replacement and valve programs

Laredo’s utilities director reported the department has met revised federal lead-and-copper inventory requirements and laid out a multi-year program to replace failing mains, expand valve and leak-detection programs, and improve sampling and public communications.

The update, delivered to the Laredo Utilities Advisory Committee, summarized work since an October regulatory incident and the director’s first 90 days in office. The director said the utility now conducts about 50 bacteriological samples per month, has posted its service-line inventory on the city website, and has begun a prioritized main-replacement plan covering 69 streets.

The director (name not specified), director of utilities, told the committee: “We are now in compliance,” referring to actions taken to meet the revised lead-and-copper rule and the reporting deadlines tied to that rule. He said staff used age-based presumptions to speed the inventory and posted the results to the city website to meet the federal 30-day public-notification requirement after completing the inventory.

Why it matters: the federal lead-and-copper revisions required community systems to inventory service-line materials and notify the public; meeting the first deadlines avoids further administrative penalties and supports continued bond- and credit-rating stability. The director said Fitch asked about lead-and-copper compliance during a recent rating review and the city’s compliance helped preserve its rating.

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