OAK RIDGE, Tenn. (Nov. 18, 2024) – Many Oak Ridge residents will receive letters in the mail from the City of Oak Ridge this week regarding potential lead exposure from drinking water service lines.

The City of Oak Ridge is required to notify customers, non-paying consumers, and any off-site owner of a property (e.g., landlord) when a service line that may cause elevated lead exposure is identified. The most recent service line inventory indicates that many properties have been identified as having a drinking water service line made of an unknown material.

“It is important to note that finding a line of unknown material does not mean that you have been exposed to lead,” City Engineer Roger Flynn said. “Water treatment processes greatly reduce the possibility that lead from service lines could end up in your water.”

However, the existence of an unknown line may increase your risk of exposure.

A service line is a portion of pipe that connects the water main to the building inlet. The City of Oak Ridge service line is owned partially by the City (main distribution line to the meter) and partially by the property owner (from the meter to the building). This service line material has been identified in both portions, the City’s and owner’s.

For customers with a material status “unknown” service line, the City is asking that residents complete a survey at oakridgetn.gov/leadexposure to help us identify your service line material so that we may update our inventory. Once completed, the survey can be mailed to Oak Ridge Public Works, PO Box 1, Oak Ridge, TN 37831 or sent by email to [email protected].

If you own or live in a rental property, please contact your tenant and/or owner to verify receipt of this notice. Only one survey is needed per location. Inventory information will be updated as service lines are identified and/or replaced. If you are planning to replace your service line, please contact us at (865) 425-1875 prior to replacement so that we can coordinate our efforts.

“Our priority is to ensure the safety and health of our community’s drinking water. We are actively monitoring and addressing this issue to protect everyone’s health,” Flynn said. “We are working with experts at the EPA and TDEC to understand and eliminate as much as possible the risks related to lead exposure in our water system.”

For more information, visit oakridgetn.gov/leadexposure or contact Oak Ridge Public Works at (865) 425-1875.