Boonville officials: lead-service-line inventory prompted resident letters; testing and replacement options explained

A council member raised constituent calls about letters residents reported receiving notifying them their service line may be galvanized or contain lead. City staff said the notices are part of a lead-service-line inventory and that the city has sent notices to roughly 1,200 customers as that work proceeds.

The city administrator told the council the inventory classifies lines into categories such as "no replacement needed" (PVC/PEX), "galvanized/likely needs replacement," and "lead." He said the designation "galvanized" refers to older materials and possible lead soldering; the inventory alone cannot determine whether water in a given home contains lead, so the city recommended residents have their water tested. A council member noted lead-testing kits are inexpensive; a resident mentioned kits are available online for about $8.

On replacement responsibilities, staff explained that if a homeowner elects to replace the private portion of the service line (from house to meter), the city will replace its portion (from meter to main). The administrator said excavations and contractor work for the inventory remain underway and could continue into next year. He also noted that, at present, there is no city requirement forcing a customer to replace a private line; homeowners will be notified and the letters will recur until the private portion is replaced.

Council members and staff discussed disclosure obligations when selling a house and the practical steps for testing and repair. No formal policy or ordinance change was adopted at the meeting; the discussion was informational and meant to help residents understand the inventory and next steps.