The EPA requires that all water service lines connected to a public water supply be inspected for lead. This page will help walk you through the process of inspecting your own water service and will automate the process of reporting your results to the State of Alaska.
Completing this inspection is easy and should take no more than 30 minutes.
You will need a few basic tools and your phone to take some photos. We highly suggest that you complete this inspection using your phone so that you can fill out the information while inspecting your water line, as well as capture and submit the required photos directly from your phone.
The suggested tools listed will be helpful in identifying your water service line material. Some water line materials are magnetic, so a magnet can help identify the material. A quarter is useful as a tool to lightly scratch the pipe and show the color of the material underneath any dirt, dust or rust. The ruler will be useful as a measurement reference when taking photos of the water service. A flashlight is usually helpful to more easily inspect your water pipes.
The first step in this process is to locate where your water service comes up out of the ground inside/underneath your home.
There is usually an emergency water shutoff valve for your house right after the water service enters your home.
If you have a crawl space, the water service is usually located in the crawl space. If you have a split level house or a basement, it is usually located in a utility room near the hot water heater or boiler.
If you are having a hard time locating where your water service enters the house, below is a short video that does a good job of explaining where to look for your emergency water shutoff which should be located right after where the water service enters your home.
Once you have your tools and know where your water service is located, its time to complete the inspection:
If you have any questions or concerns about this process, please give us a call at (907) 222-4084