FAQs
What is lead?
Lead is a soft, malleable metal that was once used in items from gasoline to paint. Lead exposure has physical and behavioral effects on the body and is most impactful to young children and pregnant women. Due to these health effects, the federal government began limiting its use in the 1970s. Thanks to strict standards, the amount of lead in air, drinking water, soil, consumer products, food, and occupational settings has been greatly reduced.
Does Oconee County's water contain lead?
No, lead does not occur naturally in our source waters. The water leaving the Bear Creek Drinking Water Treatment Plant is lead-free and continues to meet or exceed all drinking water quality standards set by state and federal regulations.
What are Service Lines?
Service lines are the pipes that lead from the water main to a building. The utility owns the portion of the service line from the main to the meter. The customer owns the portion of the service line from the meter to the main.
Does Oconee County have lead service lines?
No. During decades of main rehabilitation/replacement and recent inspections of customer meters, we have never encountered lead service lines. Additionally, Oconee County has interviewed private, third-party plumbers about their experience with lead in the County. Through this research and field work, we have determined that there are no lead service lines in Oconee County.
Where does lead exposure come from?
Most lead exposure results from lead paint dust and chips. The water that Oconee County Water Resources provides to homes and businesses does not contain lead.
How does lead get into tap water?
Lead can get into the water as it moves through household pipes and fixtures that contain lead. Although lead pipes were banned in Georgia in 1986, some homes may still contain these plumbing systems.
How does the Water Resources Department keep lead from leaching into the water?
Strict corrosion control techniques are utilized during the treatment process at the Bear Creek Drinking Water Treatment Plant. This significantly reduces the potential for lead to dissolve from pipes into the water supply. Oconee County Water Resources tests water quality across the water system, and lead levels are consistently below the stringent standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency for safe drinking water.
Should customers be concerned about lead in drinking water?
We take every precautionary step to reduce the corrosiveness of the water during the treatment process to minimize lead leaching into drinking water. And because many of the homes in Oconee County are newer, we have fewer homes that could have lead plumbing or lead-based solder than other communities. The following homes may be more at risk of having lead in their plumbing:
- Homes built before 1970 have a greater chance of having partial lead plumbing.
- Homes build prior to 1987 may have lead solder connecting copper pipes.
- Homes built after 1985 are significantly less likely to have a significant amount of lead in the plumbing.
- Homes built after 2014 have almost zero chance of containing lead, as even the brass fittings used in these dwellings are required to meet stringent lead requirements.
Customers who are concerned that their plumbing may contain lead should contact a licensed plumber to inspect the plumbing in their home.
What should customers do if they have lead solder or other sources of lead in their home’s plumbing?
- If water has been sitting in pipes for more than six hours, flush the line by letting the cold water faucet run for one to two minutes before using the water for drinking or cooking.
- Only use cold water for cooking and drinking. Lead leaches more easily into hot water.
- Periodically clean out the aerators, or screens on the faucet. Over an extended period of time, these screens can trap sediment and debris. They twist off easily and can be cleaned or replaced, if needed.
- Use a filter certified to remove lead for drinking, cooking, and making infant formula. Replace the filter according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Boiling water does not remove lead.
Does the County test for lead in water?
Per federal regulations, we test homes located throughout the county to ensure that our corrosion control is effective. You can find the most up-to-date testing information in our Water Quality Report. We have consistently met state and federal regulatory standards.
Do our schools have lead service lines?
No, the service lines at each school in Oconee County are confirmed to be lead free.