Clearing the Pipes: Caldwell's Journey to Lead-free Water
Background
Caldwell, Idaho, with a population of 74,000, faced the pressing need for an accurate inventory of its service lines to ensure compliance with lead regulations.With 25,961 service lines in question, the city aimed to minimize unknowns and achieve a comprehensive understanding of its infrastructure to prioritize public health and safety.
The Challenge
The primary challenge was establishing a compliant inventory of service lines, particularly identifying lead-containing lines and reducing service lines deemed “unknown” within their infrastructure. This required meticulous data collection, resident collaboration, and efficient management to streamline the process.
The Project
In partnership with 120Water, Caldwell launched a comprehensive lead service line inventory project to develop a compliant and accurate understanding of its infrastructure. 120Water supported the effort by incorporating tax assessor data to capture year-of-construction details and integrating existing asset records, including visual verifications and documented installation dates of service lines. An online survey was created to streamline resident participation, while a proactive outreach strategy—including door-to-door visits, door hanger distribution, phone calls, social media engagement, and planned postcard mailings—helped maximize response rates and ensure thorough data collection across the community.
What's Next
Significant progress has been made through the collaborative efforts of Caldwell'steam and 120Water. The team identified 18,223 non-lead service lines out of25,961, providing a clearer understanding of the city's infrastructure. Moving forward, the focus will be on further refining the inventory process, addressing any remaining uncertainties, and implementing measures to maintain compliance andensure the safety of Caldwell's residents. Continued collaboration with 120Water will be essential in achieving these objectives, as well as ongoing community engagement to uphold transparency and accountability in managing the city's water infrastructure.
In partnership with 120Water, Caldwell launched a comprehensive lead service line inventory project to develop a compliant and accurate understanding of its infrastructure.
