Lead and Copper Rule
Michigan's Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) requires communities to locate and prioritize eligible pipes for removal.
Click here to learn more about Michigan's Lead and Copper rule.
Click here to learn how to check if your indoor plumbing and faucets could contain or be made of lead.
What is Ann Arbor Water doing to meet the requirements of Michigan’s LCR?
- The Public Works Unit is doing a service line material inventory as part of the current water meter replacement project.
- Ann Arbor's Water System Advisory Council was established in 2019.
- A dashboard has been created for the public to review the service line inventory results.
How is Ann Arbor Water impacted by the LCR requirements?
- The LCR requires the city to complete a service line material inventory of all the public and privately owned water service lines.
- The city must verify the inventory results by 2025. This data will be used to determine which lines are eligible for replacement.
- As the LCR requires, replacements began in 2021, and we continue to replace lines at a rate of 5% per year.
- When possible, the city will coordinate service line replacements with water main and road projects to reduce road and service disruptions.
- The city will also replace leaking service lines as they are discovered.
Which service lines have been inventoried and require replacement?
- The inventory is nearly 90% complete, but we need your help to finish the work. The city is hoping to complete the inventory as soon as possible so we can better plan and schedule replacements.
- The city has created a dashboard and map for the public to view information about their service line material. The inventory map shows service lines that have been replaced, service lines that are eligible for replacement and service lines that still require in-home verification. Please follow the steps listed below to see if your home or business has been inspected.
- Open the
dashboard that includes a map
- Use the search function on the map to find your address and zoom into your address located within the map.
- If the circle isn't completely filled in, your line has not been inspected.
- If you haven't had your line inspected, please send an email to
leadandcopper@a2gov.org with your address and contact information and staff will reach out to you.
- Residents will get a letter when their service line is scheduled for replacement. Please be patient and remember we are coordinating replacements with road projects, so we do not have a long-term detailed schedule.
- Since 2019, more than 396 water service lines have been replaced.
Why would a line require replacement?
- Ann Arbor, like many communities, used to use a small piece of lead pipe to connect galvanized water service lines to the water mains. This is piece, known as a “gooseneck", was used on some service lines installed in the 1920's and between 1942 and 1945.
- All the known lead goosenecks have been removed. However, Michigan's Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) requires water systems to replace all galvanized service lines that were once connected to those lead goosenecks.
Ann Arbor's Water System Advisory Council
In 2019, Ann Arbor's Water System Advisory Council (WSAC) was formed to:
- Advise and assist with the creation of materials and outreach plans to educate our community. Efforts to focus on lead in drinking water and informing owners whose service lines may need replacement.
- Review public awareness campaign materials provided by the statewide drinking water advisory council.
- Provide guidance to the city on outreach to property owners whose service lines need replacement.
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If you are interested in serving a term on the council click here to learn more, then apply here.
2024 Scheduled WSAC Meetings:
- All meetings will be held in person at the Water Treatment Plant, 919 Sunset Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48103
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June 4, 2024 at 8:30 am
- October 1, 2024 8:30 am
Previous WSAC meeting minutes:
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February 6, 2024 Meeting Minutes - Draft
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October 17, 2023 Meeting Minutes
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June 13, 2023 Meeting Minutes
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February 21, 2023 Meeting Minutes
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May 10, 2022 Meeting Minutes
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September 28, 2021 Meeting Minutes
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March 3, 2021 Meeting Minutes
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June 16, 2020 Meeting Minutes
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Dec. 3, 2019 Meeting Minutes
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Sept. 25, 2019 Meeting Minutes
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Feb. 27, 2019 Meeting Minutes
Members
- Jack Cederquist, Resident
- Jaclyn Bates, Washtenaw County Environmental Health Department
- Molly Maciejewski, City of Ann Arbor Water Treatment Plant Manager
- Rebecca Lahr, City of Ann Arbor Drinking Water Quality Manager
- Daniel Brown, Huron River Watershed Council Director
- Lisa Wondrash, City of Ann Arbor Communications Unit Manager
- Chuanwu (Wu) Xi, Ph.D. Professor of Environmental Health Sciences, Professor of Global Public Health U-M School of Public Health
Lead sampling
Ann Arbor is well positioned to implement recent changes to the LCR. We are one of the communities who have been consistently below the regulated action levels. Because of our low levels, the city is on a three year monitoring cycle. The city's scheduled sampling for lead and copper is summer 2023. Specific results are available in the city's annual drinking water quality report.
Free lead testing kits
The City of Ann Arbor offers
one free lead test per household. You can also contact the Water Treatment Plant at 734.994.2840 to arrange pick-up of a testing kit. Kits may be picked up and dropped off during normal business hours, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you would like more than one test, each additional test is $25.
