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- PUBLIC EDUCATION - NOTICE FOR EXCEEDANCE OF THE LEAD ACTION LEVEL - PUBLIC EDUCATION -
NOTICE FOR EXCEEDANCE OF THE LEAD ACTION LEVEL
MANDATORY LANGUAGE FOR A COMMUNITY WATER SYSTEM
I. Introduction.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Colorado Department of Public
Health and Environment and the City of Fort Lupton would like to update you regarding a multi-
year lead mitigation program the City began in 2004. Although most homes in the community at
that time had very low levels of lead in their drinking water, some homes in the community had
lead levels above the EPA action level of 15 parts per billion (ppb), or 0.015 milligrams of lead
per liter of water (mg/L). As such, under Federal law, in 2004, the City began a program to
minimize lead in your drinking water. This program included corrosion control treatment and
public education, of which this mailer is a part.
The corrosion control treatment program consists of feeding a minor dose of an EPA approved
corrosion inhibitor, zinc phosphate, into the potable water system. Since institution of the
program, the City has only violated the EPA action level for lead once in September 2005. The
latest test results indicate an average lead level of 1.2 ppb with a high of 3 ppb. Since
September 2005 the Citys water has consistently been well below the EPA action levels.
We are also required to replace the portion of each lead service line that we own if the line
contributes lead concentrations of more than 15 ppb after we have completed the
comprehensive treatment program. If you wish to participate in a water testing program or if you
have any questions about how we are carrying out the requirements of the lead regulation
please call Thom Vinson at the Fort Lupton Water/Wastewater Plant at (303) 857-9442. This
mailout explains the simple steps you can take to protect you and your family by reducing your
exposure to lead in drinking water.
II. Health Effects of Lead.
Lead is a common metal found throughout the environment in lead-based paint, air, soil,
household dust, food, certain types of pottery porcelain and pewter, and water. Lead can pose a
significant risk to your health if too much of it enters your body. Lead builds up in the body over
many years and can cause damage to the brain, red blood cells and kidneys. The greatest risk
is to young children and pregnant women. Amounts of lead that won't hurt adults can slow down
normal mental and physical development of growing bodies. In addition, a child at play often
comes into contact with sources of lead contamination like dirt and dust that rarely affect an
adult. It is important to wash children's hands and toys often, and to try to make sure they only
put food in their mouths.
III. Lead In Drinking Water.
A. Lead in drinking water, although rarely the sole cause of lead poisoning, can significantly
increase a person's total lead exposure, particularly the exposure of infants who drink baby
formulas and concentrated juices that are mixed with water. The EPA estimates that drinking
water can make up 20 percent or more of a person's total exposure to lead.
B. Lead is unusual among drinking water contaminants in that it seldom occurs naturally in
water supplies like rivers and lakes. Lead enters drinking water primarily as a result of the
corrosion, or wearing away, of materials containing lead in the water distribution system and
household plumbing. These materials include lead-based solder used to join copper pipe, brass and chrome plated brass faucets, and in some cases, pipes made of lead that connect your
house to the water main (service lines). In 1986, Congress banned the use of lead solder
containing greater than 0.2% lead, and restricted the lead content of faucets, pipes and other
plumbing materials to 8.0%.
C. When water stands in lead pipes or plumbing systems containing lead for several hours or
more, the lead may dissolve into your drinking water. This means the first water drawn from the
tap in the morning, or later in the afternoon after returning from work or school, can contain fairly
high levels of lead.

IV. Steps You Can Take In The Home To Reduce Exposure To Lead In Drinking Water.
A. Despite our best efforts mentioned earlier to control water corrosivity and remove lead from
the water supply, lead levels in some homes or buildings can be high. To find out whether you
need to take action in your own home, have your drinking water tested to determine if it contains
excessive concentrations of lead. Testing the water is essential because you cannot see, taste,
or smell lead in drinking water. Some local laboratories that can provide this service are listed at
the end of this booklet. For more information on having your water tested, please call Thom
Vinson at the Fort Lupton Water/Water Plant at (303) 857-9442.
B. If a water test indicates that the drinking water drawn from a tap in your home contains lead
above 15 ppb, then you should take the following precautions:
1. Let the water run from the tap before using it for drinking or cooking any time the water in
a faucet has gone unused for more than six hours. The longer water resides in your home's
plumbing the more lead it may contain. Flushing the tap means running the cold water
faucet until the water gets noticeably colder, usually about 15-30 seconds. If your house has
a lead service line to the water main, you may have to flush the water for a longer time,
perhaps one minute, before drinking. Although toilet flushing or showering flushes water
through a portion of your home's plumbing system, you still need to flush the water in each
faucet before using it for drinking or cooking. Flushing tap water is a simple and inexpensive
measure you can take to protect your family's health. It usually uses less than one or two
gallons of water and costs less than $0.25 per month. To conserve water, fill a couple of
bottles for drinking water after flushing the tap, and whenever possible use the first flush
water to wash the dishes or water the plants. If you live in a high-rise building, letting the
water flow before using it may not work to lessen your risk from lead. The plumbing systems
have more, and sometimes larger pipes than smaller buildings. Ask your landlord for help in
locating the source of the lead and for advice on reducing the lead level.
2. Try not to cook with, or drink water from the hot water tap. Hot water can dissolve more
lead more quickly than cold water. If you need hot water, draw water from the cold tap and
heat it on the stove.
3. Remove loose lead solder and debris from the plumbing materials installed in newly
constructed homes, or homes in which the plumbing has recently been replaced, by
removing the faucet strainers from all taps and running the water from 3 to 5 minutes.
Thereafter, periodically remove the strainers and flush out any debris that has accumulated
over time.
4. If your copper pipes are joined with lead solder that has been installed illegally since it
was banned in 1986, notify the plumber who did the work and request that he or she replace
the lead solder with lead-free solder. Lead solder looks dull gray, and when scratched with a
key looks shiny. In addition, notify your State Water Quality Control Division about the
violation.
5. Determine whether or not the service line that connects your home or apartment to the
water main is made of lead. The best way to determine if your service line is made of lead is by either hiring a licensed plumber to inspect the line or by contacting the plumbing
contractor who installed the line. You can identify the plumbing contractor by checking the
city's record of building permits which should be maintained in the files of the City of Fort
Lupton Building Department. A licensed plumber can at the same time check to see if your
home's plumbing contains lead solder, lead pipes, or pipe fittings that contain lead. The
public water system that delivers water to your home should also maintain records of the
materials located in the distribution system. If the service line that connects your dwelling to
the water main contributes more than 15 ppb to drinking water, after our comprehensive
treatment program is in place, we are required to replace the portion of the line we own. If
the line is only partially owned by the City of Fort Lupton, we are required to provide the
owner of the privately-owned portion of the line with information on how to replace the
privately-owned portion of the service line, and offer to replace that portion of the line at the
owner's expense. If we replace only the portion of the line that we own, we also are requ