Funding Two Projects to Reduce Lead Exposure from Drinking Water

The Water Research Foundation (WRF), a leading sponsor of research supporting the water community, announced two projects that will help utilities reduce customer exposure to lead levels in drinking water.

“Service Line Material Identification Techniques” will investigate techniques, technologies, and strategies to differentiate service line pipe materials, with a focus on technologies that can be implemented remotely without directly contacting the pipe. Additionally, funding has been added to the project, “Evaluation of Flushing to Reduce Lead Levels” (project #4584), to evaluate the impacts of home tap flushing after full lead service line (LSL) replacement and to provide better guidance to water systems on frequency and duration of flushing. 

“These projects build upon important prior research conducted by the Water Research Foundation in lead service line identification and flushing," said Rob Renner, CEO of the Water Research Foundation. “The ultimate goal of both projects is to identify innovative ways to reduce customer lead exposure from drinking water.” 

The project, “Service Line Material Identification Techniques” (#4693) will develop a literature review and multiple case studies to identify innovative lead service line identification technologies and if feasible, recommend those technologies for future field testing verification. 

The project, “Evaluation of Flushing to Reduce Lead Levels” (#4584) will result in guidance to utilities on how to perform in-home tap flushing following a service line disturbance (partial or full replacement). Guidance will include flushing duration, frequency, and different options depending on the type of lead being released (dissolved or particulate).

The research for project #4584 is being conducted by David A. Cornwell Ph.D., P.E., and Richard Brown, P.E., with Cornwell Engineering Group.

The Water Research Foundation is the leading not-for-profit research cooperative that advances the science of water to protect public health and the environment. Governed by utilities, WRF plans, manages, and delivers scientifically sound research solutions on the most critical challenges facing the water community in the areas of drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, and reuse. Over the last 50 years, WRF has sponsored nearly 1,500 research projects valued at $500 million, and serves more than 1,000 subscribing organizations. 

Source: Business Wire