The City of Aurora’s Water Production Division will begin adding orthophosphate, a proven, effective corrosion inhibitor, to the centralized water treatment process in an effort to reduce the exposure of lead found in the water of homes with lead service lines.
Orthophosphate proactively reacts with lead to reduce the amount of it that can leach into drinking water, thus lowering potential exposure to lead when the water comes in contact with a lead service line. This strategic decision will also lead to full compliance with the drinking water regulations established by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA).
“Orthophosphate is a safe, tasteless, and odorless substance that is naturally present as phosphate in foods like bread, cheese, fruits and nuts,” Superintendent of Water Production, Bob Leible, said. “This substance forms a protective coating inside water lines and household plumbing to reduce the amount of lead found in drinking water from lead service line corrosion.”
The City’s Water Production Division will add orthophosphate to maintain a consistent concentration or residual in the water of approximately 2.0 milligrams per liter. Individuals would have to drink about 40 liters of water to receive the same amount of phosphorus found in one banana. The addition of orthophosphate may require businesses that utilize City water for manufacturing or industrial purposes to adjust specific water processes. Cooling towers and boiler systems may also require chemical treatment adjustments.
The implementation of orthophosphate is in response to the City’s recent public notice, which detailed the discovery of an elevated level of lead in drinking water in select homes across the city. Although some homes may have exceeded the IEPA’s action level for lead, it is important to note that there is no lead in the water originating from the City of Aurora’s Water Treatment plant. In fact, Aurora’s drinking water fully complies with standards set by the State and Federal government.
A Lead Action Level Exceedance Notice was issued following new testing standards instituted by the IEPA, which now require City Water Treatment Plant staff to test the first and fifth liters of water coming out of a faucet in a residential unit. This testing change contributed to a higher rate of lead being found, as the fifth liter of water spends more time in a lead service line, causing more lead particles to be present when testing. The subsequent results require, by law, that all community members be notified and that a public education graphic be mailed to all City water customers.
The City of Aurora is committed to protecting the health and well-being of every household in the community through proper testing, treatment, and supply of water. Specific actions being taken by the City of Aurora to mitigate lead exposure risks in drinking water include:
The City of Aurora is also actively removing lead and galvanized water lines to protect residents. Since 2018, the City has replaced 2,988 lead service lines, with more scheduled to be replaced in the coming years. These efforts will greatly assist in mitigating the chance for any lead particles to end up in household drinking water.
Residents who want more information regarding lead service lines within the city can visit https://yourvoice.aurora.il.us/leadnotice. The interactive website includes a map that allows customers to verify if their service line is composed of lead, an unknown material, galvanized, or whether or not there are known lead connectors of unknown material feeding water into the line.
The City of Aurora will replace, at no cost to the customer, lead service lines when disturbances, such as maintenance activities or underground infrastructure improvements, occur, as well as when a test reveals a service line that has a reported lead concentration level in excess of the action level. In other cases, customers can, at their own cost, replace the service line from the meter on the inside of their property out to the curb stop (the shut off valve outside the house, generally located near the front property line), and the city will provide a filtration device prior to the commencement of that work; upon completion of that work, the City will schedule the replacement of the remainder of the service line from the curb stop to the water main at no cost to the customer within thirty days, weather pending.
The City of Aurora will strategically continue lead service line replacements across the City, meeting the State of Illinois requirement to replace three percent of the system annually.
For more information about the City’s Lead Service Line Replacement Program, residents can email waterlines@aurora.il.us.