Frequently Asked Questions

A service line is the small pipe connecting a home or business to the water main as illustrated in the following graphic. Service lines transport water from the water main to faucets, toilets and other fixtures. Service lines are typically made out of plastic, copper or galvanized (iron) pipe material. Lead pipe was once used as a service line material in older systems, but was banned nationally in 1986. Palm Beach County’s adopted plumbing code removed lead pipe as an approved material after 1976. 

Lead is a toxic metal that is harmful if inhaled or swallowed in high amounts.

Lead can enter drinking water when plumbing materials that contain lead corrode, especially in drinking water that is not treated to reduce corrosion. Older homes may have plumbing materials, such as pipes, faucets and/or fixtures with higher levels of lead. 

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) passed a federal regulation in 1991 known as the Lead and Copper Rule (LCR), which requires drinking water utilities to provide corrosion control and monitor for lead in customers’ homes. If high lead levels are detected in the water, then a utility must work to improve corrosion control and reduce lead. The Town of Jupiter’s Utilities Department has maintained consistent compliance with the LCR since the rule was established.

No. Lead is undetected in the water leaving the Town’s water treatment process. The Town monitors for lead inside customers’ homes consistent with LCR requirements and the utility’s approved sample plan. This sample plan requires monitoring older homes where plumbing components with high lead content may have been used. The Town publishes an annual water report, which includes results for lead and copper testing that can be found at jupiter.fl.us/WaterQualityReport.

If you want to know if your home’s drinking water contains unsafe levels of lead, have your water tested. Testing is the only way to confirm if lead is present or absent. Most water systems test for lead as a regular part of water monitoring. These tests give a system-wide picture and do not reflect conditions at a specific home or business. For more information on testing your water, call the EPA‛s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 800-426-4791.

What are the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions?

The Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) were introduced by the EPA in 2021. They require for the first time that all utilities carry out a service line material inventory, address any locations with elevated levels of lead and mitigate the problem within a specific timeframe.

The Town has created a Water Service Line Identification Program to address the LCRR requirements. The compliance deadline for the revised rule is October 2024, and all utilities, regardless of their history of compliance with the original LCR, must make changes as required by the revised rule. These changes include:

1. Develop a publicly accessible water service line inventory.
2. Submit a lead service line (LSL) replacement plan.
3. Update the lead and copper sample plan.
4. Implement a lead testing program in schools and childcare facilities.

The Town does not currently have any known lead service lines. If your house was built after 1976, it is highly unlikely that you have a lead service line. If your house was built before 1976, you can do a quick at home test to find your service line and determine its material by following the instructions here (link to instructions). If you believe you have a lead service line, please call 561-741-2735 or email winfo@jupiter.fl.us