Water Authority Readies Citywide Pipe Survey

If Fair Haveners see streaks of blue paint on the sidewalk or in front of their homes in coming weeks, it likely means that artificial intelligence has tracked them down.

Sounds ominous, but not to worry.

The folks at South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority (RWA) have placed the paint there to mark the locations of underground water pipes. 

A modest dig, commencing in the next few weeks, is scheduled to determine the composition and condition of the service water lines leading from the street into homes and commercial buildings — a total of about 700 addresses in four New Haven neighborhoods, including Fair Haven, Dixwell, Newhallville, and Westville.

Kevin Watsey, the director of public affairs for the RWA, offered that heads up to 40 attendees in person and via Zoom Thursday night at the regular monthly meeting of the Fair Haven Community Management Team (FHCMT) convened at the Fair Haven Branch Library community room.

While bringing safe water from the sources is RWA’s responsibility, the last leg or ​“the curb-to-house service line is the responsibility of the customer,” Watsey explained.

The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has mandated an inventory of those lines.

“We know what we have,” Watsey went on, referencing the RWA’s pipes, ​“but we don’t know what customers’ lines are made of, what metal has been used” – whether copper or lead, and in what condition.

So the RWA is sending out crews to make those determinations where their lines meet the customers’ lines.

Not all houses are being examined, thanks to an AI program that is helping the system figure out which homes may have lead in the pipes in question, Watsey added. ​“Our goal is to stay between the sidewalk and the street, to dig, and to fill in all in the same day.”

The crews will use a technique called ​“vacuum excavation,” which sounds like the equivalent of minimally invasive surgery, a couple of holes to see what’s to see. ​“A gentle way to dig,” Watsey characterized it.

FHCMT attendees’ main concerns were, of course, what happens if it’s determined that the pipes are lead.

“You’re not in danger,” Watsey responded. ​“Our corrosion control has that in hand.”

The aim of the current project is merely to find, identify, and create an accurate inventory. 

If lead pipes are found and they need to be remediated or replaced, it will be done at some point, he said. ​“It’s a billion-dollar project, and we’re looking for the funding; replacement is five to ten years down the road.”

Another neighbor asked Watsey if the AI program can distinguish between an owner and a renter — because if lead pipes are found, the AI might have a problem finding the landlord responsible, as the city often has difficulty locating a deadbeat landlord to make ordinary repairs.

“It is not looking at ownership,” Watsey replied, but at structures’ age. ​“If it’s after 1990s, there’s not likely to be lead.”

How concerned should people be if the RWA determines there are lead pipes servicing their homes?

Watsey stressed that New Haven drinking water is completely safe because of ​“corrosion control” systems in place, regardless of the pipes.

According to the RWA’s 2022 Consumers’ Annual Report on Water Quality, which Watsey distributed after his remarks: ​“Federal regulations require that the RWA analyze water samples from a minimum of 50 homes, though we have consistently monitored more sites. These samples help us assess the need for, or the effectiveness of, corrosion-control treatment, which helps prevent lead from pipes and plumbing from leaching into drinking water.… During the last lead and copper sampling rounds conducted in 2020, results showed that the 90^th percentile value was well below the action level set by the EPA.”

According to a section of that report entitled ​“What Can I Do in My Home to Reduce Exposure to Lead”: ​”Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. The RWA is responsible for providing high-quality drinking water, but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components in home construction. When your water has been sitting for several hours, you can minimize the potential for lead exposure by flushing your tap for up to five minutes or until it becomes cold or reaches a stead temperature.”

What if lead is found in these residential pipes, which are the responsibility of the customer, and an owner doesn’t want to wait for the RWA to do the replacement? Watsey estimated the cost for each individual dig between $5,000 and $10,000.

For a copy of the report or for more info on the RWA’s service line inventory about to begin, people can reach Watsey at [email protected]