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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 3 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, and 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. Simply call 311 to have Cary come to your home and verify your service line material. Knowing your service line material not only helps you, but the community as well. Every data point will be used in Cary's statistical model to help predict the location of any lead that might unknowingly be in the system. The more data points that are collected, Cary will be able 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 To comply with the current Lead and Copper Rule, Cary samples 60 sites every three years that have an increased potential for lead exposure. Cary also offers complementary testing for customers. In 2023, Cary tested 23 water samples from citizen's homes and no lead was detected. 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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