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Killeen says no lead service lines on city side; 2,512 customer lines found and notified under EPA rule
Summary
City staff told council it submitted the federally required lead service‑line inventory on Oct. 15, found no lead on the city side but identified 2,512 customer‑side galvanized lines and mailed notifications; a $59,247.42 agreement with 120 Water was recommended to support sampling and notifications.
City utilities staff told the Killeen City Council on Dec. 3 that the city met the Environmental Protection Agency’s revised Lead and Copper Rule deadline by submitting a full service‑line inventory, and that the inventory identified no lead service lines on the city side of the meter.
The inventory, conducted with a third‑party contractor, identified 2,512 customer‑side galvanized service lines on the private portion of service lines leading to homes. Staff said a mailed notification was sent to those addresses before the regulatory deadline, consistent with the EPA rule’s notification requirements.
Utilities staff recommended the council authorize a services agreement with 120 Water for sampling, customer notifications and follow‑up work for $59,247.42. Presenters said the contract covers required sampling events (including schools and childcare facilities), customer notification work and follow‑up sampling and that it is a common approach for municipalities without the in‑house staffing to compile and maintain the inventory.
Staff emphasized that the city’s water system maintains a superior rating from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for the public side of the system and reiterated that customer‑side galvanized lines are a private‑property responsibility. Utilities staff said they will update the inventory annually and expect further federal guidance in 2027 that may set replacement timelines for galvanized or lead customer service lines.
Public commenters asked whether owners or the city should pay for replacement, and whether vulnerable residents would receive assistance. Utilities staff replied that the EPA does not provide direct funding to cities to replace customer‑owned lines and that current federal grant programs and future rule revisions may create replacement funding opportunities; staff said property owners can hire plumbers and that some homeowners have already replaced private lines on their own.
Next steps: Council approved the consent agenda, which included the 120 Water agreement; staff will manage sampling and follow‑up compliance activities and continue outreach to affected residents.
