WATER SERVICE LINE INVENTORY FAQ’s

Pipes that connect the public water main, which runs under the street or another public right-of-way, to a building (such as a house or business).] These water service lines can be made up of several materials such as galvanized steel, copper, PVC (polyvinyl chloride) or, very rarely, lead.

The City of Petaluma is responsible for the public portion of the service lines (the pipes that go from the main line to your water meter) and property owners are responsible for the portion that goes from water meter to the home or building on the property.

The water service line inventory is part of a national effort to ensure public water systems are reducing lead exposure to their customers. The U.S. EPA requires all large public water purveyors to complete a Lead Service Line Inventory (LSL Inventory). The objective of the LSL Inventory is to determine if there are any lead pipes in the water distribution system on both the public and customer (private) portions.

Petaluma’s drinking water is very low risk for lead contamination. Petaluma's customer water service pipes are typically copper or plastic with a few older homes having galvanized iron. In 1942 Petaluma adopted new standards that required copper or galvanized iron service lines to be installed on the City side of the meter, and in 1986 there was a federal ban on lead pipes that required all new household plumbing fixtures be lead free.

The City of Petaluma is currently working with a contractor, PMI Inc. to inspect and identify all water services installed prior to the federal ban on lead pipes in 1986. We are currently working to review and identify the material used in each of the service lines. We anticipate identifying all service lines by March 31, 2025. A map showing up-to-date identification of all water services is located here: www.cityofpetaluma.org/servicelineinventory.

In addition to field inspections, data from existing records, utility maps, historical ordinances/construction requirements, statistical analysis, and other approved methods to determine the type of materials in the water service lines from the main line to the meter box and from the meter box to the building inlet are used to create a comprehensive inventory.

CLICK HERE to learn more and explore next steps.

When the City of Petaluma performed site inspections, we found that your water service from the meter to your home to be galvanized iron. Galvanized iron is a material that has the potential to absorb lead over time. The City of Petaluma’s water distribution system is quite old, beginning in the late 1800’s. We currently do not have any city-owned lead water services within the City of Petaluma. Records show that all city owned water services installed after 1942 were of a material other that lead, but for water services installed prior to 1942, these services are not guaranteed to be non-lead. Because we cannot guarantee the city-owned portion of the service was never lead, your water service is categorized as “Galvanized Requiring Replacement” and your water service line will need to be replaced.

Currently, the EPA and California Department of Drinking Water are working on guidelines to inform and assist homeowners on the replacement of these galvanized iron services. We are currently working on the City of Petaluma’s GRR program to ensure that homeowners have all the relevant information, guidance and potential financial assistance to help homeowners through the process of replacing their galvanized iron service lines.

Once our program is complete, more information will be shown here and a new website will be developed to focus on our GRR Program and provide al the information and guidance needed.

CLICK HERE to learn more and explore next steps.

There will be no further correspondence sent to properties that have service lines identified as non-lead.

Historically, no lead piping has been found by city employees throughout the course of installation, replacement, inspections and upgrades to the city’s water system.

Lead is not naturally occurring in the City of Petaluma’s source water, from Sonoma County Water Agency, and does not come from the city’s water distribution system piping. However, in some older homes, lead may be present in the pipe connecting the home to the water system – known as a service line – or within the home’s plumbing. Lead in service pipes, plumbing or fixtures can dissolve, and/or particles can be absorbed into water and end up in tap water. The most common sources of lead in drinking water are brass and bronze faucets and fixtures installed prior to 2003, or lead pipes installed prior to 1986.

There are many factors to take into consideration that may be used to determine whether you have lead in your plumbing. Because it is colorless and tasteless, lead is not readily apparent in water. In 1986, use of plumbing materials and fixtures with lead was banned in California. Therefore, homes built after 1986 do not have lead service lines due to changes in the building code. Additionally, homes that have been replumbed will not contain lead.

While the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions primarily focus on residences, schools and daycare centers, commercial businesses and business centers with service lines less than two inches are also required to be included in the service line inventory.