EPA established regulations for public water systems in 1991 to protect public health by minimizing lead and copper levels in drinking water. Lead and copper can enter drinking water mainly from older plumbing materials. Many of these older materials were banned for potable water use in the 1980’s.
EPA has revised the lead & copper rule numerous times in an effort to better protect communities. The 2021 & 2024 rule revisions required all public water systems to conduct a service line inventory. This meant that LCWSC had to report the pipe material between the main line and the water meter (LCWSC side) as well as the pipe material from the meter to the home (customers side) that was not installed by LCWSC. With over 17,000 services this has been a daunting task that we have worked diligently over the last 3 years to develop. This inventory listing was uploaded to the Department of Environmental Services (formerly DHEC) on October 16, 2024. As of this date, we still have 2400 unknown customer side line materials. If you would like to help us identify your material, call our customer service department at 864-682-3250.
LCWSC does not have lead service lines in our distribution system. We conduct regular, thorough water quality tests at multiple points throughout the system to detect any trace levels of lead or copper. These are reported annually on our Consumer Confidence Reports.
For more information on the EPA’s Lead and Copper Rule and how to reduce potential lead exposure in your home, visit these resources:
Lead & Drinking Water | South Carolina Department of Environmental Services
Lead and Copper Rule | US EPA
Visit our Water Quality page for more information.