Service lines for approximately 500 homes in Pueblo will be examined by Pueblo Water as part of its ongoing “Get the Lead Out” program.

The area includes West 10th Street north to W 15th Street, and from Francisco Street east to N. Main Street. Work will begin on Aug. 1 and should be completed by Dec. 16.

Pueblo Water has partnered with Global Underground Corporation to perform minimal excavation near water meters on selected properties. If the service line material is determined to be lead, the address will be placed on a list for replacement at no charge by Pueblo Water crews or private contractors. Pueblo Water representatives will contact customers if the service lines are determined to be lead.

“Get the Lead Out” is a proactive approach to pending Federal regulatory and legislative action to reduce the potential of lead in drinking water that may be due to lead service lines. The program creates a partnership between property owners and Pueblo Water to help eliminate lead service lines in the community, and Pueblo Water will soon begin replacing older residential water service lines made of lead at no charge to the property owner. A service line is the pipe connecting each residence to the water main located in the street or alley. It is believed that lead service lines in Pueblo’s service area comprise a very small percentage of the 40,000-plus customer connections in the system.

“There is no measurable amount of lead in the treated water as it leaves our water treatment plant,” says Don Colalancia, Division Manager of Treating, Pumping and Water Quality for Pueblo Water. “The water mains that distribute the water throughout Pueblo do not contain lead, so the only way water may contain lead in a person’s residence is if it is exposed to lead that is in that home’s service line or plumbing.” Use of lead in plumbing fixtures was banned by an amendment to the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act in 1986.