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  • Utilities
    City Hall
    119 East Gilmer Street
    Big Sandy TX 75755

    Mailing Address:
    PO Box 986
    Big Sandy TX 75755
    Phone:
    903-636-4343
    Email: utilityclerk@bigsandytx.gov

    Business Hours
    Monday - Friday
    7:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.
    1:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

    After Hours Number
    903-636-4200

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT

YOUR WATER SERVICE LINE

 

Public Water Service (PWS) ID: TX2300001          PWS Name: City of Big Sandy       

Date: October 10, 2024          903.636.4343          publicworks@bigsandytx.gov

 

     We are sending you this notice at the request of TCEQ after an initial water service line inventory. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) required this inventory in a national and statewide effort to identify possible sources of lead in customers’ drinking water and remove or minimize these sources. During the City’s initial inventory, each resident was asked to complete a survey to let us know what type of plumbing lines they have in their house.

     After this initial inventory was completed in early October 2024, we have determined that your water service line material is Unknown. In most cases, this means that either you do not know what type of plumbing lines you have or you did not respond to the survey. Please read through the definitions below to learn more about this determination.

·         Unknown (may contain lead) – a portion of or the entire service line (your plumbing) material is unknown and may be lead or galvanized requiring replacement.

·         Lead – a portion of or the entire service line is made from lead. People living in homes with a lead service line may have an increased risk of exposure to lead from their drinking water.

·         Galvanized – a portion of or the entire service line is made from galvanized material and may have absorbed lead from upstream lead lines. People living in homes with a galvanized service line that has absorbed lead may have an increased risk of exposure to lead from their drinking water.

If you believe your service line has been incorrectly categorized, please contact us using the phone number or email provided in this notice. Our hope is that after reading through this notice, you will be able to identify what type of service lines (plumbing) you have and we can update the categorization of your lines.

Replacing Lead or Galvanized Service Lines

If you determine that you have lead or galvanized service lines (plumbing), the replacement of these lines are your responsibility. Please contact us if you think you have lead plumbing or pipes and we can help you research options to replace these lines.

If you have replaced, or plan to replace, a section of a lead or galvanized service line from the meter to your property, we ask you to let us know as soon as you can using the contact information provided below. We are required to replace our section of the service line from the meter to the water main.

Contact Information: For more information regarding the information contained in this notice, please contact Utility Clerk Sarah Strub at 903.636.4343 or by email at utilityclerk@bigsandytx.gov.

 

Important Information about the Health Effects of Lead

 

Exposure to lead can cause serious health effects in all age groups. Infants and children can have decreases in IQ and attention span. Lead exposure can lead to new learning and behavior problems or exacerbate existing learning and behavior problems. The children of women who are exposed to lead before or during pregnancy can have increased risk of these adverse health effects. Adults can have increased risks of heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney, or nervous system problems.

Steps You Can Take to Reduce Your Exposure to Lead in Your Water

Below are recommended actions that you may take, separately or in combination, if you are concerned about lead in your drinking water. The list also includes where you may find more information and is not intended to be a complete list or to imply that all actions equally reduce lead from drinking water.

·         Use your filter properly. Using a filter can reduce lead in drinking water. If you use a filter, it should be certified to remove lead. Read any directions provided with the filter to learn how to properly install, maintain, and use your cartridge and when to replace it. Using the cartridge after it has expired can make it less effective at removing lead. Do not run hot water through the filter. For more information, use the QR codes for EPA’s (QR-1) tool to identify certified filters, and (QR-2) fact sheet on home filtration.

·         Clean your aerator. Regularly remove and clean your faucet’s screen (also known as an aerator). Sediment, debris, and lead particles can collect in your aerator. If lead particles are caught in the aerator, lead can get into your water.

·         Use cold water. Do not use hot water from the tap for drinking, cooking, or making baby formula as lead dissolves more easily into hot water. Boiling water does not remove lead from water.

·         Run your water. The more time water has been sitting in your home’s pipes, the more lead it may contain. Before drinking, flush your home’s pipes by running the tap, taking a shower, doing laundry, or doing a load of dishes. The amount of time to run the water will depend on whether your home has a lead service line, the length and diameter of the service line and the amount of plumbing in your home.

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