FPUA outlines lead-and-copper inventory, urges customers to use interactive map and survey

Fort Pierce Utilities Authority presented a detailed plan to comply with the Environmental Protection AgencyLead and Copper Rule, telling the board it is building the most comprehensive inventory the utility has ever done and preparing a 10-year public-side remediation program. The presentation described the inventory process, funding pursuits, customer communications and practical steps residents can take now.

Rachel Tennant, FPUA director of public affairs and sustainability, said the initiative begins with a comprehensive inventory of both public and private service lines and a decade-long plan to replace public-side lead or galvanized pipes. John Biggs, FPUA principal engineer and project manager for the Lead and Copper Rule work, explained the classification used and the scale of work ahead.

"The service lines are classified as galvanized/current replacement, lead, unknown, and non-lead," Biggs said, and cited counts the utility has compiled: on the utility side non-lead 16,867 and unknown 8,394; on the private side non-lead 12,791 and unknown 12,368. He noted FPUA has been replacing utility-side lead service lines for more than 30 years but that the federal rule now requires documenting private-side materials, too.

Staff described next steps: continuing the inventory, prioritizing and replacing public-side lead/galvanized pipes, and pursuing funding to accelerate private-side assistance. Tennant told the board FPUA is seeking about $1,300,000 in state revolving loan funds (a loan/grant blend with roughly 50% forgiveness) to support public-side work and inventory activity, and is coordinating with the citygrants administration to explore options for private-side funding.

Tennant also reviewed the utilitys customer outreach: FPUA mailed four-page, EPA-required notices to properties with status "unknown," "lead" or "galvanized," and launched a resource page (fpua.com/lead-copper) with an interactive map and a photo-capable survey. "If you receive a letter that says 'unknown,' you can go online and complete the survey and include a photo," she said. The map uses gray diamonds for unknown, blue squares for non-lead, red circles for confirmed lead and yellow triangles for galvanized; the utility said the map is a living document and will be updated as the inventory progresses.

Board members pressed staff on several points, including whether the map can show when a propertys status changed and whether customers can request scheduled inventories. Biggs said the inventory team is working to add indicators showing letters or updates and that the utility is not booking customer-requested digs right now because crews are busy completing tens of thousands of entries; he encouraged customers to use the online survey to speed verification.

The board urged an aggressive local replacement timeline. Tennant and Biggs stressed the federal schedule gives utilities 10 years to replace public-side lines but said FPUA will seek funding and report back with a more expedited local plan. "We are trying to be well ahead of the 10-year schedule," Javi Cisneros, FPUA director, said.

The presentation was for information only; staff said it will bring further timeline and funding details to future board meetings and continue to update the resource page and FAQs as public questions arrive.