A Public Meeting to discuss lead service line replacements was held on Wednesday, February 22, 2023 in City Hall and on Zoom. Click here for the Meeting Presentation.
The City is currently working with a consultant to identify all lead service lines in the community. A report and formal recommendation will be presented at a future City Council meeting.
Click here to review the Lead Service Line Replacement Project Plan. Please note that this is a preliminary plan which has not yet been reviewed and approved by the Mayor and City Council.
To minimize contamination resulting from corrosion, the City of Highland Park has implemented a corrosion control program that has been in place since 1992. This incorporates an EPA recommended corrosion control treatment at the Water Treatment Plant and periodic testing of selected homes to measure treatment effectiveness. The City of Highland Park complies with all sampling regulations, including those that are directed towards single-family dwellings.
There are two major lead sampling events in Highland Park:
Annual Lead Testing of City-Owned Buildings
EPA Lead Program Testing
Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline 1-800-426-4791 or at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.
If you are concerned about lead exposure, you can have the water in your home tested for lead. The City of Highland Park Water Treatment Plant laboratory is not certified for metals analysis. Please contact the Lake County Environmental Laboratory at 847.377.8020 for a sampling kit and sampling instructions.
A water service line has two components, a public service line and a private service line. The public service line, which is owned and maintained by the City, is the service line that runs from the water main to the water meter pit or buffalo-box (b-box) or shut-off valve within the City right-of-way. The private service line, which is owned and maintained by the property owner, is the service line that runs from the water meter pit or b-box or shut-off valve to the house.
Residents should be aware of three potential sources of lead in drinking water: lead service lines, lead-tin solder joined copper pipes installed prior to 1986, and brass water contact surfaces of faucets. Lead service lines are the greatest source of lead in drinking water and are typically present only in homes built prior to 1940. Over time, many of these older used service lines have been replaced but your home could still have one.
There are three measures you can take to ensure the water in your home is lead-free:
- Flush your pipes - If your water hasn't been used for several hours, run the cold water for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using it for drinking or cooking.
- Test your water - Please contact the Lake County Environmental Laboratory at 847.377.8020 for a sampling kit and sampling instructions.
- Identify your service line material - Residents can verify if their service line is lead by reviewing the FAQ "Identification of Water Service Line" below. An Illinois licensed plumber can also confirm if a lead service line is present, check for lead solders in internal pipes, and look for water fixtures containing lead.
Residents are encouraged to view their private service line information on City website, GIS Lead Service Line Map. If the information listed on the website is incorrect, please complete the Water Service Line Material Form.
Please submit questions to publicworks@cityhpil.com.
To find out if you have a lead, copper, or galvanized water service line on your property, you (or your landlord) can perform a Materials Verification Test on the service line where it enters your home. Please watch this short YouTube instructional video on determining your service line material or follow the instructions below.
If you have a lead service line and would like to join our lead and copper testing program, contact the Water Plant at 847.433.4355 or via email at waterplant@cityhpil.com.
Instructions for identifying the material composition of your water service line:
Possible tools needed (some conclusions can be made by observation):
- a key or coin
- a refrigerator magnet
First, locate the water service line coming into the property. This is typically found in the basement or lowest level of the structure. The picture below may help to assist with locating the water line point of entry.
Next, identify a test area on the pipe between the point where it comes into the home and the inlet valve. If the pipe is covered or wrapped, expose a small area of metal.
The picture above displays the typical inlet valve and meter. The area to test is the vertical pipe to the bottom right.
Use the edge of the key or coin to scratch through any corrosion that may have built up on the outside of the pipe. Do not use a knife or other sharp instrument, and take care not to puncture a hole in the pipe.
Copper Water Service Line
If the scraped area is copper in color, like a penny, your service line is copper. A magnet will not stick to a copper service line.
Lead Water Service Line
If the scraped area is shiny and silver, the service line is lead. A magnet will not stick to a lead pipe. It may have a bulb in the pipe near the shutoff valve that looks like a snake that swallowed an egg.
Commonly, a galvanized connector is attached to a lead pipe. If the magnet does not stick to the pipe but does stick to the connector, the water service line is most likely lead.
Galvanized Water Service Line
If the area is difficult to scrape and if a magnet sticks to the pipe, the service line is galvanized.
Depending on the age of the home (i.e. typically built before 1940), a customer-side galvanized service line is or was once connected to a city-side lead service line. In this situation there is the potential for lead to accumulate within the galvanized service line portion. Under the recently passed State Law, Public Act 102-0613, these service lines are to be treated as if they are made of lead. Homeowners may want to test their water for lead and consider replacing the service line.
Public Act 102-0613, Lead Service Line (LSL) Replacement and Notification Act (https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/102/PDF/102-0613.pdf ) effective Jan 1, 2022, requires owner or community water suppliers to identify lead service lines (interactive map linked here) and to provide a plan for the replacement of lead service lines including galvanized service lines. To assist homeowners with their lead service line replacement, the City has developed a voluntary cost share program. A copy of the program policy can be found here. The program is funded annually and is on a first come, first serve basis. Only single-family homes are eligible. If you are interested in taking advantage of the cost share program, please follow the steps noted in the policy. For additional information on this cost share program, please contact Water Distribution Section Foreman Bill Painter at 847.432.0807 or publicworks@cityhpil.com
