NEWS RELEASE

ATLANTA – The City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management (DWM) would like to assure customers that lead notification letters are a regulatory requirement for many utilities, not just the City of Atlanta. DWM has been working cooperatively with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Environmental Protection Division (EPD) to confirm that the City does not have lead service lines.

DWM has collected hundreds of samples to maintain compliance and has not found a single lead service line. However, until the sample size and certification technique meet EPA’s requirement to verify that the City does not have lead service lines, DWM must notify customers.

A service line is the piping that runs from the water main to the building inlet. Ownership varies by water system but is typically split between the water system and the customer.

DWM owns the section of the service line from the water main to the meter, while the section from the meter to the building inlet is owned by the customer.

DWM is continuing service line identification and replacement. If an individual service line is found to contain lead, the customer will receive a separate notice with information about service line replacement and financing opportunities.

To aid in the verification of the customer-owned portion of the line, please visit for http://www.epa.gov/protectyourtap instructions on identifying service line material.

For the latest information, please refer to local news outlets and connect with us on our social media platforms, including Facebook, X, Nextdoor, and Instagram @ATLWatershed.

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www.atlantawatershed.org