Lead Services

Many older services have lead pipes which are now known to be a health risk. New York has mandated that the Mohwak Valley Water Authority should identify all properties that have Lead services and put remedial plans in place.

It is not possible, with the resources at the disposal of the water company, to check each water supply individually so we are asking some of our customers to help by identifying the type of pipe work installed at their house. To show our appreciation for this effort we are offering a rebate to all customers who submit a Lead Service Report.

As part of the Lead Service Report we want you to take a photo of the meter and the attached pipe and upload that with the report. We also want you to try to identify the type of material used for the pipe. To do this you might need to use the flat head of a screw driver to scratch the pipe and a magnet (like a fridge magnet) to test if the pipe is magnetic.
There are 4 common types of pipes used in water supplies:-

1. Copper	Copper pipes are the color of a penny and are quite easy to scratch. They are not magnetic.
2. Lead	These are a dull grey color and are soft and quite easy to scratch. They are not magnetic.
3. Galvanized	These are dull grey color and are hard and difficult to scratch. They are magnetic.
4. Plastic	Plastic and are not magnetic.

For more information on how to identify the material used in your pipe please have a look at our Lead Awareness page and watch this video provided by the US State Public Health Authority. If your service is not easily identified as one of these then please select "Other" and we will attempt to identify the material from the photo that you have submitted.

Once you have looked at your meter and taken the photo you are ready to complete the Lead Service Report. Please click the Lead Service Reporting link to begin.