Trending
The City of Marietta authorized the financial paperwork that will allow it to explore how much lead remains in city water lines, and then figure out a solution for removing it at Thursday night's Marietta City Council meeting.
Ordinance No. 269 was passed unanimously by council as an emergency measure after a vote to suspend second and third readings also passed. The ordinance introduces the upcoming Marietta Lead Service Lines Investigation, Design and Construction Project and authorizes an amount up to $400,000 to finance the work.
That amount of money is determined by the fact that the city has received approval of a $400,000 principal forgiveness loan from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Division of Environmental and Financial Assistance, Drinking Water Assistance Fund. A resolution connected to Ordinance No. 269 also was passed Thursday night by council authorizing city officials to enter into the loan agreement.
City Engineer Bob Heady and City Water Superintendent Jeff Kephart estimate there may be up to 10 miles out of a total 100 miles of water mains that still contain lead-jointed cast iron piping and/or possible lead service line components. That estimate is contained in a document the city released in late March, outlining the upcoming lead service lines project and asking potential contractors for their qualifications.
Buckeye Hills-Hocking Valley Regional Development District has mapped the potential presence of lead in various areas of Marietta's drinking water infrastructure, based on manufacture or installation dates. According to their 2017 City of Marietta Water System Inventory, buildings in Ohio and materials such as piping, solder or fixtures with dates before 1998 have greater than 8% lead and are therefore at a higher risk of contributing lead to the drinking water. On the other hand, buildings and materials after 2014 were required to have less than 0.25% lead by weight and have the lowest risk.
There is a detail to remember, however. Living in a newly built house does not ensure a 100% absence of lead if the house is connected to city water infrastructure of an older vintage.
Since it would be cost prohibitive to replace all the lines that are suspect because of their age, the city has a plan to do replacements based on investigation. This would include service line surveys of customers; a county records search for construction and remodel dates; and a hydro excavation, or "potholing" procedure, on a statistically representative number of water mains, corporation stops and service laterals.
Once that's done, records and maps can be revised and replacement locations can be pinpointed.
The City of Marietta public water system already collects and analyzes samples for lead and copper levels as required by the Ohio EPA.
Testing results validate that the City of Marietta's water supply has levels well within those specified by the OEPA, according to the Buckeye Hills water system inventory. The city also prepares an annual Consumer Confidence Report that publishes the most current water supply information. A copy of the current report is available by contacting the mayor's office or the water superintendent's office.
"This new lead investigation project doesn't indicate the city has done anything wrong," said Bret Allphin, Marietta City Council member and chair of council's Water, Sewers and Sanitation Committee. "At one time, lead was considered a totally suitable material and it was only after we had built with it over the decades that we became aware of the problems. In my opinion, it's not just Ohio but the entire nation that is dealing with this."
Allphin noted that the national EPA as well as the Ohio agency are moving towards enacting stricter drinking water standards. Heady said the city is being proactive by finding appropriate funding and starting the investigation now, instead of on an emergency basis when new EPA deadlines and requirements loom.
Allphin said the information gained from the lead investigation also will be pertinent knowledge to have for the new reverse osmosis water treatment plant planned for Marietta.