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 see the link of accredited labs for lead testing for a list of laboratories that can test residential water samples.
A water service line has two components, public service line and private service line. The public service line, owned and maintained by the City, is the service line that runs from the watermain to the water meter pit or buffalo-box (b-box) or shut-off valve within the City right-of-way. And the private service line, owned and maintained by property owners, is the service line that runs from the water meter pit or b-box or shut-off valve to the house. Homeowners should be aware of three potential sources of lead in drinking water. In order of importance, they are: lead service lines, lead-tin solder joined copper pipes installed prior to 1986, and brass water contact surfaces of faucets. Lead service lines are typically only present in older homes built prior to 1940. Those homes may still have a lead service line. The three main preventative measures to ensure the water in your home is lead-free are to flush your piping, test your water, and identify your service line material. Homeowners can verify if their service line is lead by reviewing the FAQ identifying water service line below. Or an Illinois licensed plumber can confirm if a lead service line is present, check for lead solders in internal pipes, and look for water fixtures containing lead.
It is likely that many water service lines in Highland Park have been replaced with copper or other approved material since the drinking water system was first built.
Residents are encouraged to view their private service line information on City website, GIS Lead Service Line Map. If the information noted 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 steel service on your property, you (or your landlord) can perform a Materials Verification Test on the water service line where it enters your home to determine the material of the water service line on your property. Please watch this short YouTube instructional video on determining your service line material.
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.
For property owners who are unsure of the material composition of the water line connecting your property to the water main, the following instructions will help identify key characteristics of both lead and copper water lines.
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
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.
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.
Picture displays the typical inlet valve and meter. This photo shows a lead service line. 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.
If the scraped area is shiny and silver, the service line is lead. The refrigerator magnet will not stick to a lead pipe; however, it will stick to a galvanized connector. If the refrigerator magnet sticks to the connector, the water service line is most likely lead.
- Galvanized Water Service Line
Depending on the age of the home, i.e. typically built before 1940, it is possible that a customer-side galvanized iron service line is or was once connected to a lead city-side service line. This situation would provide the potential for lead to accumulate within the galvanized iron 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. In such instances, homeowners way 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 supplier to identify LSL (interactive map linked here) and to provide a plan for replacement of LSL including galvanized service lines. To assist homeowners with LSL replacement, City has a voluntary cost share program policy. A copy of the 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. If you need additional information on this cost share program, please contact Water Distribution Section Foreman Bill Painter at 847.432.0807 or via email at publicworks@cityhpil.com
