PHOTO: Contractor crews with RJN Group will open residential water meter boxes and examine the service lines to determine the material of the lines.
Residents may notice contractor crews inspecting the inside of their water meter boxes in the coming months as part of a federally mandated effort to determine the service line material.
In 2021, the Environmental Protection Agency published revisions to the federal Lead and Copper Rule, requiring every city in the U.S. to complete an inventory of all its water service lines and remove any lead pipes that are found.
Steps taken so far
On June 20, 2023, the City hired RJN Group to complete an inventory to comply with the new federal regulations.
Before physically inspecting any utilities, RJN Group was able to rule out two-thirds of Victoria’s service lines based on a review of documentation, including construction documents and codes that were in place when the lines were installed.
What to expect
Starting this week, RJN Group will conduct physical inspections at service lines that were not ruled out during the initial review of documentation.
During the inspection, crews will open residential water meter boxes and examine the service lines to determine the material of the lines. Crews will not need to dig up any utilities; only the meter box will be opened.
Existing data shows no signs of lead
Although the formal inventory has not been completed, Public Works’ most recent drinking water consumer confidence report shows zero lead contamination in Victoria’s water.
Public Works Director Ken Gill and other long-serving Public Works staff could not recall any lead lines ever being found in Victoria, even as the City has worked diligently to replace water lines in older neighborhoods.
“We did not run across one lead service line that was from our main to the meters,” Gill said during the City Council meeting at which the contract with RJN Group was approved. “That’s a good sign. We didn’t find any in the oldest parts of town.”
Stay connected
For more information about the City’s utility services, call Public Works at 361-485-3380 or visit www.victoriatx.gov/publicworks.