OAK RIDGE, Tenn. — The city of Oak Ridge is warning residents of potential lead exposure from drinking water service lines because unknown materials were found in the lines.
According to a Facebook post Monday morning, the city said residents will receive letters in the mail this week notifying them of the potential exposure. The city said it is required to notify the public when a service line may cause elevated lead exposure.
The most recent service line inventory indicates that many properties have a drinking water service line made of unknown materials, the city says.
“It is important to note that finding a line of unknown material does not mean that you have been exposed to lead,” City Engineer Roger Flynn said. “Water treatment processes greatly reduce the possibility that lead from service lines could end up in your water.”
The city says the existence of an 'unknown' material status for a service line may increase your risk of exposure.
The city asks customers with a service line material status "unknown" are asked to complete a survey to help identify your service line and update their inventory. Once you complete the survey, you're asked to mail it to Oak Ridge Public Works, PO Box 1, Oak Ridge, TN 37831 or email it to servicelinesurvey@oakridgetn.gov.
“Our priority is to ensure the safety and health of our community’s drinking water. We are actively monitoring and addressing this issue to protect everyone’s health,” Flynn said. “We are working with experts at the EPA and TDEC to understand and eliminate as much as possible the risks related to lead exposure in our water system.”
