Frequently Asked Questions

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) now require all water systems to document all water service line materials and identify any lead or lead containing materials from the water main distribution pipe in the street to your home or business. A water service line is the pipe that connects your home or business to a water main from City’s distribution system. The process for documenting these water service line materials is referred to as a service line inventory. In Methuen, the service line is the shared responsibility of the property owner (Meter to Property Line) and the City of Methuen (Property Line to Main). This is illustrated in the diagram below:

 The development of a service line inventory is meant to be used as a tool to help inform the community about service line materials and provide information about the risk of lead in drinking water. The Methuen water department regularly performs lead compliance testing and since 2009 has had no lead exceedances.

In Methuen most service lines are copper, older homes may have galvanized iron pipe. A graphic of various service line materials is shown below. 

As part of the service line inventory the Methuen Water Department is required to provide notifications to all services lines identified as lead, galvanized requiring replacement or unknown. You have received a galvanized requiring replacement notice because a portion of the service line serving your home or business was found to be galvanized requiring replacement by Methuen Water Department Records. 

The EPA has defined “galvanized requiring replacement” to mean where a galvanized service line is or was at any time downstream of a lead service line or is currently downstream of a “lead status unknown” service line. If water systems are unable to demonstrate that the galvanized service line was never downstream of a lead service line, it must presume there was an upstream lead service line. For most of the galvanized services in Methuen, they are considered requiring replacement because we were unable to determine  that they were never downstream of a lead service line, but we do not have any active lead service lines currently on file.   

If your portion of the service line is galvanized requiring replacement material, the Methuen water department encourages you to replace the privately-owned portion of GRR with a private contractor. You are responsible for inquiring and scheduling the replacement with a contractor and filing appropriate permits with the Water Department. 

There are currently no funding programs in place for the City to replace the privately owned portion of a galvanized service. 

As part of the service line inventory the Methuen Water Department is required to provide notifications to all services lines identified as lead, galvanized requiring replacement or unknown. You have received an unknown notice because the entire or  a portion of the service line serving your home or business was to be unknown  by Methuen Water Department Records.

Having a service line listed as “unknown may contain lead” indicates there were no records to identify the material of a portion of or the entirety of your service line. Please utilize the link below to determine whether the unknown portion of your service line is on the street side (utility owned) or house side (homeowner-owned).

Methuen Service Line Inventory

Once you have checked where the unknown to property exists follow these next steps:

1. Utility owned side unknown: You may receive a future notification for a small excavation to be conducted within the public right of way near the water service shutoff valve to your property.
2. Homeowner side is unknown: Please call the Methuen Water Department at 978-983-8856 to discuss a date best for an inspection to be scheduled.
3. Utility owned side and homeowner side: Both service material verifications efforts listed above apply.

Currently there are no known lead service lines in Methuen, however there are galvanized requiring replacement service lines that may have absorbed lead according to EPAs definition (see FAQ No. 3). 

The City of Methuen Water Department adds a chemical (zinc polyphosphate) at our water treatment plant to control corrosion of the pipes our drinking water passes through. This control mitigates the potential for potential lead in galvanized requiring service lines or lead plumbing to leach into your drinking water. The Methuen water department regularly performs lead compliance testing and since 2009 has had no lead exceedances. See graphic below. 

Health effects of lead. 

Exposure to lead in drinking water can cause serious health effects in all age groups. Infants and children can have decreases in IQ and attention span. Lead exposure can lead to new learning and behavior problems or exacerbate existing learning and behavior problems. The children of women who are exposed to lead before or during pregnancy can have increased risk of these adverse health effects. Adults can have increased risks of heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney or nervous system problems.

 Steps you can take to reduce exposure to lead in drinking water.

1. Run your water to flush out lead. Lead levels increase over time as water sits in lead-containing plumbing materials. Before drinking or cooking with your water after it has sat overnight or longer, flush your home’s pipes by running water through the kitchen faucet, taking a shower, or doing any other non-consumptive water usage. Run the water for at least 1 minute or until after it turns cold. The amount of time to run the water will depend on whether your home has a lead service line or not, as well as the length and diameter of the service line and the amount of plumbing in your home. 
2. Use only cold, fresh water for drinking, cooking, and preparing baby formula.  Run the water for at least 1 minute or until after it turns cold. 
3. Do not boil water to remove lead. Boiling water does not remove lead.
4. Clean your aerator. Regularly clean your faucet’s screen (also known as an aerator). Sediment, debris, and lead particles can collect in your aerator. Lead particles can release lead into your water. See how to clean your aerator at important-resources-for-safe-drinking-water.pdf (epa.gov). 
5. Use your filter properly, if you use a filter. Filters can reduce lead in drinking water. Make sure it is certified by NSF to remove lead- it will say so on the package. Follow directions to properly install, use, and replace your filter. Do not run hot water through the filter. For more information, and which certifications to look for, visit EPA’s website at https://www.epa.gov/water-research/consumer-tool-identifying-point-use-and-pitcher-filters-certified-reduce-lead.
6. Identify and replace plumbing fixtures containing lead and any copper piping with lead solder.
7. Have your child’s blood tested for lead. Children are a higher risk group of the health effects of lead. If you would like to have your child tested, you may contact your health care provider, or local state health department by phone at 978-983-8655 or website at www.methuen.gov/BoardofHealth 
8. Have your water tested for lead. You cannot see, taste or smell lead in drinking water.   Contact our system for more information about lead in your drinking water and how to get your water tested by a state

As answered in FAQ No. 3,  galvanized requiring replacement services are those services where the galvanized material is or was at any time downstream of a lead service line or is the currently downstream of a “lead status unknown” service line or we were unable to determine that the galvanized service line was never downstream of a lead service line.  For those services in the inventory that are categorized as galvanized but NOT requiring replacement we were able to that the galvanized line was never downstream of a lead service line.

In the City of Methuen, service line ownership is split between the property owner and the City. If you have received a notice for galvanized requiring replacement, we encourage you to replace your private service line in coordination with the Water Department (see FAQ No. 3).

Currently there is no law or ordinance in Methuen stating you as the homeowner are required to replace your service galvanized requiring replacement service line. 

Not receiving a notice means it is determined your property has non-lead material according to the City’s most recent service line inventory and no further action is necessary. The City of Methuen is required to inform residents if their service line is galvanized requiring replacement, lead, or unknown. To view the material of your service line, please follow the link below and type in your address into the search bar.

Methuen Service Line Inventory