Why did I receive this notification?

The City of Florence has sent all customers a notification indicating what materials are utilized in the water service lines on both the City’s portion of the water line (typically from the water main to the meter) and on the customer’s portion of the water line (typically from the meter to the home/business). This water service line inventory is required from all water systems as part of a nationwide initiative from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) being administrated in Colorado by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE).

Does the City participating in this program mean there are dangerous levels of lead in my drinking water?

Not at all. The City of Florence does not produce corrosive water and has had no issues with lead contamination. CDPHE requires regular sampling for lead and copper, and Florence always produces samples that are significantly below the levels permitted by CDPHE regulations, including non-detectable levels of lead and copper in many samples. As stated above, this is part of a nationwide initiative from the EPA being administrated in Colorado by the CDPHE and is not a reflection of any testing results or other concerns.

What are the service line material categories?

Under this program, the City is required to categorize each service line into one (1) of four (4) categories: Lead, Galvanized Requiring Replacement (GRR), Non-Lead, and Lead status Unknown. A brief description of each category is included below for your convenience:

·         Lead - The service line is made of lead

·         Galvanized Requiring Replacement (GRR) - 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.

o   If it is unable to be demonstrated that a galvanized service line was never downstream of a lead service line, it must be presumed there was an upstream lead service line.

·         Non-Lead - The service line is determined through an evidence-based record, method, or technique not to be Lead or GRR.

o   The actual material of the service line (e.g., plastic or copper) may be listed as an alternative to classifying the line as Non-Lead.

·         Lead Status Unknown  - The service line material is not known to be any of the three (3) previous categories (Lead, GRR, or a Non-Lead) as there is currently no documented/verified evidence supporting material classification.

My potion of the service line is identified as Lead or GRR. Am I required to replace it?

Customers are encouraged but not required to replace their portion of the service line. The City is required to replace all City-owned portions of Lead or GRR service lines in accordance with state-mandated schedules.

My notification lists the City’s portion of my service line as unknown. What is being done about this?

While the City had documented evidence of the majority of system-owned service lines, documentation was unable to be located for some lines. The City is participating in a program to help verify all remaining unknown City-owned service lines and expects to have this completed by the end of 2024, barring unforeseen circumstances.

My notification lists my portion of my service line as unknown. What can I do to change this?

Your notification includes a QR code linking you to the Water Service Line Inventory Survey, which will provide you with information on how to identify your service line and allow the City to update its records. A link is also available on the City’s website. Paper copies of the survey are also available in City Hall. Paper copies were also mailed to each customer with unknown portions on their side.

How long will the survey take to complete?

The survey should not take longer than five (5) minutes to complete. Please note you may have to enter your crawl space or find the location where your water service line enters your home from the outside in order to complete the survey. More information on this process is included in the survey link.

What if I tried to complete the survey and still need help identifying what material my service line is made of?

Please contact the city at FlorenceWSLI@florencecolorado.org or (719) 784-4848 Option 0 for assistance.

What happens if I choose not to participate in the survey and/or choose not to replace my service line?

Customers are strongly encouraged to participate, but are not required to.

What if I need financial assistance to replace my service line?

The city may be able to assist you with finding funding. The City of Florence will be seeking federal and state funding to help with lead a GRR service line replacement.

What if I want to view the Service Line Inventory for myself?

While the City of Florence is not required to post electronic copies of the Service Line Inventory because of the size of our system, we have chosen to partner with a third-party site to host this information in order to ensure it is easily accessible for all who wish to view it.

Please visit https://www.leadremoval.info and follow the steps below:

1.       Select “What’s Happening in my Community”

2.       Select “Colorado”

3.       Select “Fremont”

4.       Select “Florence”

5.       Click “Display status”

Please note, this survey will not be updated in real time. Please further note that, as stated above, this is a third-party site and the City has no ability to control or rectify any outages etc.

Paper copies of the service line inventory are also available in City Hall.

If you have additional questions, please contact FlorenceWSLI@florencecolorado.org