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C A RY, N O RT H C A R O L I N A A N N U A L WAT E R Q U A L I T Y R E P O R T 2 0 2 2 16 WHEN THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY CRAFTED THE LEAD AND COPPER RULE (LCR) MORE THAN 30 YEARS AGO, IT WAS THE FIRST TIME DRINKING WATER UTILITIES WERE REQUIRED TO TEST INSIDE CITIZENS' HOMES. Why? Because lead is not found in the water as it leaves our nation's treatment plants, it ends up leaching into the water from lead services lines, interior plumbing, or leaded solder inside our homes. Since lead is a serious health hazard, Cary has consistently maintained compliance with all water quality requirements, including full compliance with the Lead and Copper Rule since its inception. To date, there are no known lead service lines in Cary, and we maintain our drinking water at an optimum pH and mineral content level to help prevent corrosion in household plumbing. Corrosion inhibitors are also added to help protect plumbing materials and keep lead that may exist from leaching into the water. In 2021, the EPA revised the Lead and Copper Rule to provide an improved level of public health protection when it is slated to go into effect in 2024. The changes focus on identifying and removing lead service lines, providing increased levels of protection from lead exposure in drinking water to children at schools and childcare facilities, and providing information about lead in drinking water to the community. The good news is that lead exposure in drinking water is 100% preventable, and together, through a partnership between Cary and our customers, we will be successful, and Cary will continue to sample at homes that request lead testing as we always have. L E A D S E RV I C E L I N E I N V E N T O RY Under the revised LCR, all water systems must develop and submit an inventory of all service lines and connections. The service lines and connections extend from the water main to a house. Cary generally owns and maintains the portion from the main to the water meter. The property owner typically owns and maintains the segment from the meter to the house, as well as inside the house. Cary implemented standards for copper service lines for the publicly owned portion of our system starting in 1980, and lead was effectively banned from use in home plumbing systems in 1986 under the Safe Drinking Water Act. As a result, homes constructed after 1987 likely do not have lead in their plumbing. If a home was constructed prior to 1987, it does not mean that it has lead, however, it does mean there is less certainty about the service line or connection's material. This is where Cary needs your help. Later in 2023, Cary will roll out a number of initiatives to find if lead is in a service line or home, using methods designed to cause the least amount of disruption. One way is for our customers to use their phones or simple tools to self-identify service line material where it enters the home. By snapping a picture of the plumbing, lightly scratching it, and/or testing it with a magnet, citizens will help Cary achieve compliance with the rule revision and more importantly, eliminate any possible lead from our water system. Cary is also actively processing the list of service lines for which the material type is unknown. This is being done by a combination of desktop analysis, predictive modeling, and field verifications. By combining existing operational records, citizen-supplied information, and targeted field collected data, Cary will continue to increase the degree of certainty of all service line materials. S C H O O LS A N D C H I L D C A R E FAC I L I T I E S The revised LCR requires water quality sampling in all elementary schools and licensed childcare facilities within the water service area. At least 20% of the schools and childcares must be tested every year, so they are all tested within five years. If requested, non-secondary schools must be also sampled. C O M M U N I C AT I O N S Last year alone, Cary took 97,202 water quality samples. To comply with the current Lead and Copper Rule, Cary samples 60 sites every three years that have an increased potential for lead exposure. This includes 26 specific requests from citizens to test for lead, and lead was not detected in any of their homes. While the revised LCR sets forth new time limits for notifying property owners if their homes have lead, Cary will go beyond the EPA's requirements to notify the owners and work with them to address the source of any lead contamination. In addition, the LCR will require the publication of the service line inventory online and notification to all of our customers if we have a systemwide lead exceedance. L E A D I N H O M E P L U M B I N G

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