In 1986, Congress amended the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) to prohibit the use of pipes, solder, or flux that are not "lead free" in public water systems or plumbing in facilities providing water for human consumption. In 1996, Congress further amended the SDWA to prohibit the use of pipe and plumbing fittings and fixtures that are not lead free in the installation and repair of any public water system or plumbing in a facility providing water for human consumption. The 1996 amendments also required lead-free plumbing fittings and fixtures (endpoint devices) to comply with a lead leaching standard.

In 2021, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) adopted Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) that public water system must comply with. In accordance with the 2021 LCRR, the District is required to conduct an inventory of water service lines serving each District customer and submit our findings to the Washington State Department of Health by October 16, 2024.

Shown in the above diagram, two sections of the water service line need to be inventoried:

Utility (District) Owned: the line that runs from our water main to your water meter.
Customer Owned: the line that runs from the water meter to your home.

The District is compiling a database of properties in our service area (approximately 3,400 service connections). The District has not used lead in our service lines from the main to the meter and King County banned the use of lead service lines in 1968. However, if your home was built before 1968, it could have lead pipe in the customer-owned section of line between the water meter (typically located at the property line) and your home.

The District has not found, and does not expect to find, any District-owned lead service lines. However, if we do discover lead service lines at your property, you will be directly notified. For more information, please refer to our Lead Service Line Inventory Map.

Notice of Unknown Service Line Material

Skyway Water and Sewer District is focused on protecting the health of every household in our community. The District has determined that a portion of some customer-owned water pipes (called a service line) that connect the home, building or other structure to the water main is made from unknown material and may be lead or contain lead. Notice has been sent to persons whose lead status is unknown.

If your service line material is unknown, there is the potential that some or all of the service line could be made of lead or galvanized pipe that was previously connected to lead. People living in homes with a lead or galvanized pipe previously connected to a lead service line have an increased risk of exposure to lead from their drinking water.

Identifying Service Line Material

To help determine the material of your customer-owned service line, please see the online step-by-step guide developed by the United States EPA to help people identify lead pipes in their homes: Protect Your Tap: A Quick Check for Lead. After you have identified the pipe material, please complete the online survey. You may also download, print and mail the completed form to:

Skyway Water & Sewer District
6723 S 124th St
Seattle, WA 98178

If you have any questions about these instructions, please contact us for further assistance.

Health Effects of Lead

Exposure to lead in drinking water can cause serious health effects in all age groups. Infants and children can have decreases in IQ and attention span. Lead exposure can lead to new learning and behavior problems or worsen existing learning and behavior problems. The children of women who are exposed to lead before or during pregnancy can have increased risk of these negative health effects. Adults can have increased risks of heart disease, high blood pressure, and kidney, or nervous system problems.

Steps to Reduce Lead in Drinking Water

Below are recommended actions that you may take, separately or in combination, if you are concerned about lead in your drinking water. The list also includes where you may find more information. It is not intended to be a complete list. It does not imply that all actions equally reduce lead in drinking water.

Use your filter properly. Using a filter can reduce lead in drinking water. If you use a filter, it should be certified to remove lead. Read any directions provided with the filter to learn how to properly install, maintain, and use your cartridge and when to replace it. Using the cartridge after it has expired can make it less effective at removing lead. Do not run hot water through the filter. For more information on facts and advice on home water filtration systems, visit EPA's filters to reduce lead website.

Clean your aerator. Regularly remove and clean your faucet's screen (also known as an aerator). Sediment, debris, and lead particles can collect in your aerator. If lead particles are caught in the aerator, lead can get into your water.

Use cold water. Do not use hot water from the tap for drinking, cooking, or making baby formula as lead dissolves more easily into hot water. Boiling water does not remove lead from water.

Run your water. The more time water has been sitting in pipes providing water to your home, the more lead it may contain. Before drinking, flush your home's pipes by running the tap, taking a shower, doing laundry, or doing a load of dishes. The amount of time to run the water will depend on whether your home has a lead service line or not, as well as the length and diameter of the service line and the amount of plumbing in your home. Contact us at info@skywayws.org or 206-772-7343 for recommendations about flushing times in your area.

Learn about construction in your neighborhood. Contact us at info@skywayws.org or 206-772-7343 to find out about construction or maintenance work that could disturb your service line, as this may cause more lead to be released from a lead service line or galvanized service line if present.

Have your water tested. You may contact a certified laboratory to have your water tested for lead. A list of certified laboratories is available below:

Laboratory	Street Address	City	Zip	Phone
Cedar Water Treatment - Jacobs	16207 SE Old Petrovitsky Rd	Renton	98058	(425) 255-7238
BR&T Seattle Fluids and Lubricants Laboratory	Building 2-122, 7701 14th Ave S	Seattle	98108	(206) 753-9229
Brooks Applied Labs, LLC	13751 Lake City Way NE	Seattle	98125	(206) 753-6119
Eurofins EPK Built Environment Testing, LLC	7619 6th Avenue NW	Seattle	98117	(206) 781-0155
Fremont Analytical, Inc.	3600 Fremont Ave N	Seattle	98103	(206) 352-3790
Friedman & Bruya, Inc.	5500 4th AVE S	Seattle	98108	(800) 487-8231
IEH Analytical Laboratories	3927 Aurora Ave N	Seattle	98103	(206) 632-2715
King County Environmental Laboratory	322 W Ewing Street	Seattle	98119	(206) 263-7864 Arina
Lab/Cor	7619 6th Ave NW	Seattle	98117	(206) 781-0155
NVL Laboratories, Inc	4708 Aurora Ave N	Seattle	98103	(206) 547-0100
Aqua Test, Incorporated	28620 Maple Valley Road SE	Maple Valley	98038	(425) 432-9360
AmTest Laboratories	13600 NE 126th Place, Suite C	Kirkland	98034	(425) 885-1664
OnSite Environmental, Inc.	14648 NE 95th Ave NW	Redmond	98052	(425) 883-3881
WA State Public Health Laboratories, Office of Environmental Laboratory Sciences	1610 NE 150th Street	Shoreline	98155	(206) 418-5498

Note: A water sample may not adequately capture or represent all sources of lead that may be present. Visit EPA's basic information webpage for information on sources of lead that include service lines and interior plumbing.

Test Your Child to Determine their Blood Lead Levels

A family doctor or pediatrician can perform a blood test for lead and provide information about the health effects of lead. State, city, or county departments of health can also provide information about how you can have your child's blood tested for lead. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends public health actions when the level of lead in a child's blood is 3.5 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL) or more. Visit EPA's Basic Information website for more information and links to CDC's website.

For information about potential financing solutions to assist property owners with replacement of lead service lines, please contact us at info@skywayws.org or 206-772-7343.

For more information on reducing lead exposure from your drinking water and the health effects of lead, visit EPA's Lead website

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