Forest Grove, OR Unveils the Unknowns with Statistical Analysis
Lead & Copper Rule
Background
The City of Forest Grove, OR, with a population of 26,089 and 7,052 service lines, faced the challenge of completing a compliant service line inventory for the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR). While they had records of the system-owned side of the service lines, they lacked data on the customer-owned side, which is notoriously difficult for water systems to collect. Forest Grove's primary goal was to achieve a compliant service line inventory with minimal unknowns, ready for submission to the Oregon Health Authority (OHA). Since their system-owned side inventory was complete, they aimed to identify as many customer-side lines as possible before submission to avoid having to send annual notifications to residents with unknown service lines
The Challenge
Forest Grove knew they wanted to use OHA's allowed statistical analysis approach, however, interpreting the guidance requirements posed a significant challenge. They needed a clear understanding of the verification methodology to ensure compliance with the regulations.
The Project
Forest Grove partnered with 120Water for their Service Line Inventory and used our Professional Services. 120Water provided clear direction and guidance on the statistical requirements, including a randomized list of locations for their team to verify. Additionally, 120Water developed an auxiliary document describing Forest Grove's methodology for verifying the service lines, which would be submitted along with their inventory. With 120Water's support, Forest Grove's field team went into high gear, verifying all 351 required lines in just a couple of months through visual inspections and verifications. The targeted list of locations provided by 120Water enabled them to complete the project quickly and efficiently.
The Results
Forest Grove's dedication and collaboration with 120Water resulted in the first all non-lead inventory in the 120Water platform. They completed the inventory project well ahead of the compliance deadline, avoiding the need to send any communications to residents when they submit their inventory. By partnering with120Water, the City of Forest Grove achieved a compliant service line inventory, eliminated unknowns, and positioned themselves for continued success in maintaining safe drinking water for their community.
