AP file photo A lead pipe is shown after being replaced by a copper water supply line to a home in Flint.

ALPENA — Some Alpena water customers recently received letters that notifies them of the type of material their water service line is made from, a Tuesday press release from the City of Alpena states.

Currently the City must notify if the service line is either “lead”, or “galvanized previously connected to lead”, or “unknown”. This letter is for information only; customers are not required to do anything, the release states.

The city says in its letter that there is no lead in the water that runs through the municipal water system.

“There is no lead in the water”, City Engineer Steve Shultz said. “(There are) eight or 10 locations that have lead services in their home. We test those places on a regular basis. We treat the water with chemicals at the plant that prevent the adverse effects of lead in the water. We have never had any hits of lead in the system.”

The City must send out water service line material letters once a year, in accordance with the State of Michigan Lead and Copper rule and in compliance with the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE).

There are three points along the service line that the City must verify to confirm the material: just before the meter (inside the home), at the shut-off (in the front yard), and at the connection point to the water main (in the street).

If there is no record for all three points, the service remains “unknown”.

The information is based on current City records and may need to be corrected, the press release states. The City continues to review historical data on a regular basis to update those records. This is an on-going process and City staff will be updating records this winter to reflect large projects completed in the last few years.

The City is required to notify customers every year regarding their service line material until it is no longer lead, galvanized, or unknown. Customers who have non-lead or non-lead containing materials (copper, plastic, or other) will not receive letters.

The City is working to identify and replace all lead sources within the system by Jan. 1, 2041, as required by the State of Michigan.

“It’s a long process…we need people to bear with us,” Shultz said.

If you feel the material type determination of your service line is incorrect, please contact City staff to explain. Contact Shultz at 989-354-1730 or steves@alpena.mi.us with any questions.

Reagan Voetberg can be reached at 989-358-5683 or rvoetberg@TheAlpenaNews.com.