Greater Cincinnati Water Works (GCWW)
Good morning,
Greater Cincinnati Water Works (GCWW) is notifying customers with information regarding their lead service lines, which may increase inquiries from the public. As an important community partner, we want to update you on our efforts in continuing to provide a high level of customer service to our customers.
This effort began when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency made changes to federal regulations involving lead in water. The Lead and Copper Rule Revisions to the Safe Drinking Water Act will take effect October 16, 2024, and require utilities to notify all customers who may have a lead service line on their property. This also includes customers who have lines made from galvanized steel, which may contain lead, as well as customers who have lines in which the material is unknown.
We will mail and e-mail notices to owners, tenants, and property managers over the next several weeks. These notices will be sent over time to promote a more manageable volume of telephone calls and emails from customers who may have questions after receiving the letter.
According to our current records, there are 178 properties in your jurisdiction that will receive a notification. GCWW began sending letters on September 4, 2024, and plans to send approximately 5,000 letters per week through mid-November. Letters are grouped by premise number and mailed/emailed to segments of the community.
It is important to note the presence of a lead line does not pose an immediate threat to customers. GCWW is focused on public health and produces millions of gallons of drinking water daily. There is no lead in the water when it leaves the treatment plant or when it is in the water mains in the distribution system. The risk for lead to enter drinking water comes if the pipes connecting the mains to the building, indoor plumbing, or fixtures are made of lead. However, GCWW uses a mixture of chemicals to coat the interior of service lines to minimize the risk of lead leaching into the water.
Customers receiving these notices do not need to act now. We will be replacing services lines containing lead over the next few years by neighborhood and water main replacement project. GCWW will contact the customer when we are doing work in their neighborhood. If a customer is concerned about lead levels in their water, they may visit us at lead.mygcww.org to request a sample kit, which will be tested at our lab for free.
GCWW staff are prepared to address an increase in call volume and increase in sampling requests, so that we continue to maintain excellent customer service.
Please direct customers to call our Lead Program at 513-651-LEAD (5323).
