The City of Fargo Sending Notices in Compliance with Safe Drinking Water Act

The City of Fargo Sending Notices in Compliance with Safe Drinking Water Act

Water Utility notifying customers in accordance with Lead and Copper Rule Revisions

11/08/2024

In providing drinking water to our community, The City of Fargo Water Utility must comply with all aspects of the Safe Drinking Water Act, including the recently mandated Lead and Copper Rule Revisions. As part of the new federal requirements, the Water Utility is mailing notifications to residents and property owners who have a lead service line or a potential lead service line. A service line is the pipe connecting the water main to the interior plumbing in a home or building, conveying water from the water main to the faucet.

The filtration and treatment processes at Fargo's Water Treatment Plant ensure the treated water leaving the plant contains no contamination from lead. The chemistry of the treated water is carefully calibrated to prevent the corrosion of lead-containing pipes and fixtures that could result in lead entering drinking water. Service lines made of lead can present an elevated risk of lead exposure, which can cause health concerns. About 10% of Water Utility customers in Fargo have a lead service line or a potential lead service line. Additional information, including a list of actions residents can take to reduce adverse health effects caused by lead in water, can be found at FargoND.gov/Lead. The website offers yearly water quality reports, as well as an interactive map that residents can use to learn how their service line material is classified.

The City of Fargo has applied for grant funding to provide financial assistance to homeowners for lead service line replacement. In Fargo, the homeowner owns the service line from the curb stop to the dwelling. The financial assistance will be a cost-share grant with greater than 66% applied to help homeowners. Once grant funding is secured, properties with a lead service line or a potential lead service line will be mailed an information packet on the Lead Service Line Replacement Program in the spring of 2025.