As part of the Lead Service Line Replacement program, a Denver Water contractor will be conducting investigations of suspected lead service lines later this fall.
If your property has a suspected lead service line, the contractor will reach out to you to get a signed consent form. Because the service line belongs to the property owner, a signed consent form must be filed to allow Denver Water’s contractor to begin on-site work.
A pothole inspection helps determine the material type of the water service line.
Before the inspection, the contractor will request locates on utility lines, which will be marked with paint or flags before the inspection. The contractor will then excavate two holes, typically one in the street and one in the yard between the meter and building, so that the line can be inspected. This includes a visual inspection, photographs, magnetic and scratch tests, if necessary, and documentation. Additional potholes may be needed to confirm service line material if initial potholing and other investigative methods do not show the presence of lead. The holes are restored following the inspection.
The potholing process takes place outside of the property or building. Whenever possible, they ask a property owner or representative to be on-site during the inspection so they can also conduct the interior inspection of the service line as it enters the home or building.
Denver Water may use one or all of the investigative methods to confirm the presence of a water service line containing lead. Any one of these methods may confirm the presence of lead, but it takes a combination of these methods to confirm the absence of lead.
If it is confirmed that a property has a lead service line, the property will remain enrolled in the Lead Reduction Program.
If it is confirmed that your water service line is made of copper or material other than lead, you will receive a letter confirming your removal from the program.
More information on the Lead Replacement Program can be found here.