TriRiver Water completed a thorough desktop study of water service lines in Sanford and is now turning to statistical analysis to identify the remaining unknown lines.
Out of the more than 22,500 service lines in Sanford, there are fewer than 2,000 whose material makeup remains unknown as of early June.
The Environmental Protection Agency charged all water utilities with completing this identification process before Nov. 1, 2027. TriRiver Water remains on schedule to successfully accomplish that task.
The next step in the process is statistical analysis. North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) supports and set standards for the use of statistical analysis in completing the identification phase of the lead service line project.
SEE ALSO: What is lead & why are we working to keep it out of drinking water?
To complete statistical analysis, TriRiver Water has created a random but representative sample of more than 300 of the remaining unknown service lines.
These lines will all be investigated, identified and catalogued. The first batch of more than 150 were completed at the end of June. Crews will resume the process on the week of August 11.
The investigations will be done by field crews wearing high-visibility safety vests and driving vehicles marked as “Palmetto Underground Solutions.” T
The field crews will use compressed air to dig test holes where the service line runs between the water main and the home. You may notice minor digging, vacuum excavation or other equipment usage. The crews will close up the holes the same day. They may also use temporary flags or other utility markings during the process; please do not disturb these as it could result in the process taking longer.
During the process, we do not expect there to be any water service interruptions.
When both batches of service line samples are identified, the results determine next steps.
If none of the 300+ lines are identified as lead or galvanized needing replacement, NCDEQ regulations state that with 95% confidence, we can conclude that Sanford has fewer than 1% of service lines containing lead.
If some of the service lines are identified as lead or galvanized needing replacement, those homeowners will be notified immediately and educated about what this means for them and their family.