Water Service Line Inventory

The city of Horseshoe Bay needs your help to complete an inventory of water service line material connected to the public water system.

Why?  The EPA in its revision to the Lead and Copper Rule, is requiring all water systems to provide information on service line material to rule out the potential for lead or galvanized exposed to lead, water lines. This information is required to be provided by October or 2024 and includes both public water line information and privately owned water line information.  

How are we going to accomplish this?  The city of Horseshoe Bay does not have any known lead in its distribution system but to thoroughly validate this for the EPA required inventory, we are going through all public records pertaining to service line materials. As you may have heard, we are also site verifying many of our own lines.

For the most part, we have the data necessary to verify city owned service line material but, due to the newer age of our municipality, we need more information on the privately owned side of the water line to verify the line completely.

Most homes are likely to be verified as non-lead due to being built at a time when lead was prohibited. When this is the case, we need to make certain that we have the correct age of the home. We have obtained information from counties, but we still lack many home ages- this is one area where we need property owner help.

It is important to note that homes that fall into the category of “not at risk” will still be asked to provide more information if they have it. This inventory is only a step along the path of eliminating potentially hazardous line material. As regulations become more refined, some details that do not currently deem a line as non-compliant, might in the future.

Homes that have an established age that is before the Lead Ban or within the compliance grace period of it, will be asked to provide more information, such as plumbing records or photo line material verification.  

DON’T PANIC.  Some of this might seem daunting but we are here to help! If you do not have information- please know that simply letting us know that, is of major help.  In these cases, we can work with you to get the information needed. Also, this survey will be sent out to all water service consumers with their utility bill and whichever submission method you prefer is acceptable.

What happens if we cannot determine line material? In these cases, water yard lines will need to be visually inspected. The city is prepared to conduct these inspections but if a property owner rather handle it themselves, that will be completely acceptable.

What if lead or galvanized exposed to lead is found?  In the case of finding any lead or galvanized exposed to lead in the city owned public water system, the city will immediately schedule to have it removed. If it is discovered to be on the privately owned water yard line, the city will work with the property owner to establish a plan for its removal. The state and federal government are prepared to assist financially in these cases, and the city will make sure that homeowners are aware of all assistance available.

Notice will be given immediately to anyone potentially exposed to these lines.  The city is prepared to provide faucet filters that filter lead, to anyone who finds themselves in this position.

Where can I get more information? Because of the complexity of the survey, you may have more questions- such as, “what constitutes a Lead Line per this inventory?” or “What’s the history of the Lead and Copper Rule?”  You can learn all this and more by visiting : Revised Lead and Copper Rule | US EPA

City Stance: This inventory is an intense project, but we are happy to complete it. Our mission is to provide the absolute best water possible to our community members and we will do whatever it takes to meet this objective. Not only do we care about our residents but as water professionals, we are passionate about the national goal of clean water. We believe that this inventory is going to be of great value to water consumers across the Untied Sates, so we are beyond happy to participate in it. We are also grateful for residents that support us in our endeavors to meet our goals in providing the best water possible. We sincerely thank all who participate in this survey.

To comply with federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations, public water systems are required to complete an inventory of customer service lines. This survey plays a vital role in helping your public water system fulfill this obligation effectively. The following information will help you determine what your water service line is made of.

Find Your Water Service Line

Before completing the survey, you need to determine where your water service line is and how it connects to your home. If you need assistance finding your service line, contact your public water system at Water.resource.mgmt@horseshoe-bay-tx.gov 

Outside Meter or Curb Stop

To locate where the water service line enters your home, look for a water meter and curb stop valve. These are usually found at the front of your property near the street or sidewalk and are ground-level boxes labeled "water" or "meter." Once you find them, follow the shortest path to your home. The water service line should enter the building through the floor or foundation wall in this general area. 

Test the Pipe Material

Once you've found where the water service line enters your home, look for a spot on the pipe closest to the wall or floor before it connects to a valve or meter. At this spot, you can test the material the pipe is made of. It is important to find the pipe entering your home.

Testing Tools

Use the following tools to determine the type of pipe material the water service line is made of.

19. Refrigerator magnet or other magnet—use to test if the pipe is made of steel or iron. 
20. Screwdriver or coin—use to scratch the pipe to reveal the metal’s color and hardness and tap for sound.
21. Flashlight or mobile phone—light to clearly see the pipe.
22. Lead—Scratch Test: Easily scratched. If the scraped area is shiny and silver, the pipe is lead. Magnet Test: A magnet will not stick to a lead pipe. Tapping Test: Tapping a lead pipe with a coin will produce a dull noise.
23. Copper—Scratch Test: If the scraped area is copper in color, like a penny, the pipe is copper. Magnet Test: A magnet will not stick to a copper pipe. Tapping Test: Tapping a copper pipe with a coin will produce a metallic ringing noise.
24. Galvanized Steel or Iron—Scratch Test. If the scraped area remains a dull gray, the pipe is galvanized steel. Magnet Test: A magnet sticks to a galvanized pipe. Tapping Test: Tapping a galvanized pipe with a coin will produce a metallic ringing noise.
25. Plastic—This pipe comes in different materials and colors. The pipe does not make a ringing sound when tapped with a coin or screwdriver.

 Find more resources on our Lead Service Line Inventory—EPA's Lead and Copper Rule Revisions webpage.