Indiana American Water is in the midst of a massive project to replace all known lead service lines in its service areas around the state. This project will elevate its already high-quality water standards and provide customers with peace of mind. The project includes the complete replacement of both the company- and customer-owned lead service lines throughout the company’s distribution system.
The company is aware of roughly 55,000 lead service lines in the state, with about two-thirds of those located in Northwest Indiana. Of those, Indiana American Water has already replaced 33,000 statewide and is well on target to meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s goal of removing all lead service lines in the nation’s water systems by 2037.
“We’ve ramped up our removal process considerably over the last few years,” said Justin Mount, operations manager for Indiana American Water’s Northwest District. “We’ve been improving the system and improving efficiencies to make sure we get this done.”
Indiana American Water began its lead service line replacement efforts in earnest back in 2017, following the passage of a bill in the Indiana General Assembly that allowed the company to obtain authority to replace customer-owned lines at no direct cost to the customer. It was the first water utility to submit a plan to the state and since then, the company has invested nearly $110 million in removing lead from nearly 33,000 service lines statewide.
“We started our lead service line replacement program earlier than other water companies,” said Carrie Lowe, lead project lead for Indiana American Water. “Right now, I believe we’ll have no problem meeting those regulatory deadlines.”
To help customers determine if their service lines are made of lead, Indiana American Water is providing access to its interactive customer service line material map. Available here, customers can see if their service line, both on the customer side and utility side, is made of lead, another material, or is not known by Indiana American Water.
If your side is marked as “not lead,” there is no further action you need to take on your service line. If it is identified as “lead status unknown,” Indiana American Water asks that you complete an online self-reporting survey to identify your line’s material. The survey makes it easy to determine your material and sends the information to the company, so they know if your line needs to be replaced or not.
Customers whose lines are identified as “lead” should first know that Indiana American Water invests millions each year on water treatment and testing and continuously upgrades its infrastructure to meet water quality standards. Customers with lead service lines can continue to use water as they normally would but may choose to take additional actions to further reduce potential lead exposure, such as flushing their taps, using cold water for cooking and drinking, or using an NSF-certified home filter. These and more tips are available on the company’s Lead Service Line Replacement webpage.
Indiana American Water is working according to a carefully programmed and planned approach to gradually replace all known lead lines at no direct charge to the customer. Customers will typically be notified a month or two before the anticipated replacement date and will receive plenty of information and have opportunities to ask questions.
Annually, Indiana American Water plans to have identified work areas for the following year. Several factors drive when and where service lines are replaced. The company prioritizes communities who are most vulnerable and at-risk from lead exposure, particularly infants and children, and areas with large numbers of facilities that serve these populations, such as schools and daycares. Other determining factors include areas with the highest concentration of lead service lines, underserved neighborhoods and coordination with other known construction activity.
“We’ll get the word out to the community in each area that we’re working in,” said Albert Turner, project manager for Indiana American Water's Northwest District. “That way, when we knock on doors to have customers sign an agreement for their lead service line to be replaced, each of them knows exactly why we’re there.”
When Indiana American Water is working in a neighborhood, a representative will visit with the residents and businesses and provide educational literature explaining the process.
“Once we have everyone’s agreements, we go block by block, from one home to the next,” Turner said. “Customers will only be without water for a very short amount of time, usually about one hour, during the replacement. We’ve gotten better at this process over time, and we’ll get as many as nine homes done in a single day.”
Indiana American Water notes that its top priority is providing safe, clean and reliable water service, and it is committed to providing customers with as much information as possible about its approach to addressing lead pipes.
“I’m proud to be part of a company that’s leading the way to get the lead out at no direct cost to our customers,” said Christina Gosnell, senior manager of water quality and compliance for Indiana American Water. “We were driving this process back in 2017, before there were any laws or regulations requiring it. It’s part of our commitment to continue to provide high-quality water to our customers.”
To learn more about Indiana American Water’s approach to lead, to access its service line material map, or to contact the company with any questions, please visit amwater.com/inaw/water-quality/Lead-And-Drinking-Water