April 18, 2023
Lake County Public Works Launches Water Service Line Map
As part of a nationwide effort to better protect communities from lead exposure, Lake County Public Works (LCPW) has launched a new map that shows the location and materials of water service lines that connect to LCPW's drinking water system.
A service line is the water pipe that delivers drinking water from the public water main to homes and businesses. A portion of the service line is on residents' property and owned by residents. This portion of the service line may be composed of lead if it was installed before 1988.
Lead in drinking water has been an increasingly important topic throughout the nation over the past several years – and for good reason. Lead is toxic, and was used for many years in paints, plumbing, batteries, and other products found in and around homes. Lead can enter the water system through the corrosion of pipes, solder, fixtures, brass faucets and fittings. The amount of lead in water depends on many factors, but there is always a potential for danger with lead pipes since they are the primary source of lead poisoning.
"Lead service lines typically lead to the most significant source of lead found in water," said Austin McFarlane, Interim Lake County Public Works Director. "It's important for everyone to know how water is coming into their home or business. All of our customers are encouraged to be informed by checking the water service line on their property."
 LCPW recommends property owners investigate around their homes and businesses to see if they have any lead service lines or fixtures. Since you can’t see, taste or smell lead in drinking water, it’s important to know whether there are harmful lead pipes connected to your drinking water supply. You can do this by:
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VISITING lakecountyil.gov/ServiceLineCheck
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FOLLOWING the steps on the web page to identify the material of your water service line.
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SUBMITTING your results (if you're an LCPW customer) by using the Water Service Line Self Identification Form. *Those that receive water from their local village or own a private well should not submit their results to LCPW.
LCPW customers that are unable to determine the material of their water service line may contact LCPW at publicworks@lakecountyil.gov, or 847-377-7500 for assistance.
LCPW is required by the IEPA to have a service line inventory for all of its drinking water systems. Since the program began, LCPW has identified the material of thousands of service lines from installation records, field inspections, and information submitted by LCPW customers.
"The water service line inventory we are actively updating is a critically important step for us to understand where lead pipes may exist within our water system," said McFarlane. "We appreciate the publics help in providing information about their water service line so we can have the most accurate inventory possible."
Contact
Lake County Public Works
Email
847-377-7500
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