City of Jackson response to resident letter about lead lines

The City of Jackson is responding to resident concerns about a letter that was recently mailed to water customers about lead service lines. The letter was sent to 12,000 water customers who have not had their service lines replaced in recent years. Because those service lines are possibly made of lead, the State of Michigan mandated that the City inform customers about lead safety information. The same information contained in the letter was mailed to water customers this summer in our annual Water Quality Report mailing.

It's important to know that this letter was sent as an informational piece, and not does indicate a broad issue with lead in Jackson's drinking water. Recent tests performed by the Water Department between June 1 and Oct. 1 collected tap water samples from across the water service area. The tests found lead and copper levels below the State's action limits. In the event of a large-scale drinking water concern for lead or any other issue, the City of Jackson will inform residents through the CodeRED system, City website, social media platforms and local media outlets.

A service line is the pipe that gets water from the water main underneath the street surface to the plumbing inside homes. The City of Jackson is currently working to replace all of its lead service lines, with nearly 1,000 service lines replaced since 2018. The City is picking up the pace, with nearly 300 lines replaced in the 2024 construction season. City leadership understands the concerns residents have about lead-related issues. That's why we're working as quickly as possible to replace lead lines with the resources available while educating the community on our replacements and potential risks.