District Headquarters
50 Elm St., Dedham, MA 02026
During Office Hours:
781-329-7090
After Hours Emergency:
781-326-1250
50 Elm St., Dedham, MA 02026
781-329-7090
781-326-1250
An unknown material classification means the district could not report to MassDEP what type of material the customer-owned portion of your water service line is made from because we have not received a response from you through multiple communications, inspection letters, and postcards.
According to MassDEP, all unknown service line materials installed before 1986 should be considered as if they may contain lead. In 1986, the EPA & MassDEP banned public water suppliers from using lead.
Water service line ownership is split between the District and the customer. The District owns the portion of the water service line from the water main to the curb stop/shut-off valve (usually, the curb stop/shut-off valve is located on the sidewalk or in your yard). The customer owns their service line from the curb stop/shut-off valve into their property. Unless we are to physically enter your home or dig a hole in your yard, we cannot determine the type of material your water service line is made of.
Customers who need an inspection should call the office at 781-461-2782.
If you received a letter saying the District-owned portion of your property’s service line is unknown, it means the District does not know what type of material our portion of your property’s water service line is made from. You, the customer, do not need to take any action at this time.
According to MassDEP, all unknown service line materials installed before 1986 should be considered as if they may contain lead.
MassDEP requires the District to notify customers annually until the water service line is inspected and verified to no longer be lead status unknown or lead.
Approximately 207 water services owned by the District (service line portion from the water main to the curb stop/shut-off) whose material type is currently unknown must be identified through further investigative explorations. Many of our water service connections were installed in the early 1900s, and our older records do not define the type of material used when the water service was installed. To determine the material type, we must locate the District’s shut-off, vacuum excavate with a large truck, or dig a test pit hole underground. We plan to identify these services cost-effectively by applying for grant funds to aid with this project. Currently, we do not have a definitive date for when exploration work will occur.
Please reference the above two Q&As.
Please follow the guidance from MassDEP in the second page of you letter that outlines steps to reduce your exposure to lead in drinking water.
The District does not provide recommendations on filters for customers. There is information in the letter that specifically provides information about filters in the letter.
If the customer-owned portion of your service line is unknown, complimentary inspection appointments are available to identify the material your water service line is made of. Please call the office to schedule an appointment at 781-461-2782.
At this time, we are not supplying customers with filters (even if the District side is unknown).
No, testing for lead is not a new it is not a new testing requirement. The District has been conducting lead testing for decades. Our testing plan is a MassDEP-approved plan that consists of properties with lead goosenecks and schools. In addition, the District has implemented treatment techniques (increasing the pH and adding polyphosphate) to minimize lead from being present in your drinking water.
Yes. The District conducts sampling based on an approved MassDEP sampling plan for properties with lead goosenecks and schools. Lead water mains do not exist in our distribution system, so we do not test the main lines.
No. The District does not have water mains made from lead.
The Water Service Line Inventory Project is a regulatory requirement of the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) newly revised Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR).
In 2021, the EPA announced revisions to its existing lead and copper rule, including the addition of several new components:
The Dedham-Westwood Water District is required to comply with the LCRR by October 2024.
The District will create a publicly accessible inventory map and a replacement plan. Both documents will be submitted to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP).
A water service line is an underground pipe that supplies water to your property.
All service lines are connected to the District’s water mains, which is how your service line is supplied water.
Service line ownership is split between the District and the customer.
The District owns the portion of the service line from the water main to the curb stop (usually, the shut-off is located on the sidewalk or in your yard).
The customer owns their service line from the curb stop into their property.
Please reference the graphic below for a visual explanation.
Graphic Courtesy: Environmental Protection Agency
No. The District will only replace the District-owned portion of the service line.
As previously stated, service line ownership is split between the District and the customer.
The District owns the portion of the service line from the water main to the curb stop (usually, the shut-off is located on the sidewalk or in your yard).
The customer owns their service line from the curb stop into their property.
Please reference the graphic below for a visual explanation.
Graphic Courtesy: Environmental Protection Agency
If your service is galvanized iron, then it is, or was at some point, connected to our water main with a 12-18 inch lead connection piece. It is possible that this lead connection piece has leached lead onto the interior of the galvanized iron service, which could allow lead to be present in your drinking water. However, the District has implemented treatment techniques to help minimize this risk from occurring.
The District recommends replacing lead service lines as the best course of action to eliminate risk. Reference additional tips to reduce your exposure to lead.
According to the EPA, lead can enter drinking water when plumbing materials that contain lead corrode, especially where the water has high acidity or low mineral content that corrodes pipes and fixtures.
Lead pipes, faucets, and fixtures are the most common lead sources in drinking water. In homes with lead pipes that connect the home to the water main, also known as lead services lines, these pipes are typically the most significant source of lead in the water.
Lead pipes are more likely found in older cities and homes built before 1986. Among homes without lead service lines, the most common problem is with brass or chrome-plated brass faucets and plumbing with lead solder.
Please reference information about the health effects of lead exposure from the:
If you have specific questions/concerns about how lead can affect your health, please contact your medical care provider.
Currently, testing is required to be conducted every three years.
View our most recent testing results from 2023.