Lead & Copper

There are some misconceptions and misunderstandings being communicated about lead in our water stemming from a letter recently released by the Village. In an effort to bring clarity to this matter, the Village would like to offer the following:

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (USEPA) regulations that all municipalities must follow, the Village of Richton Park does not carry harmful levels of lead in its water supply system. Lead is rarely found in source water and only enters tap water through the corrosion of plumbing materials. For example, many homes built prior to 1986 are known to carry higher lead levels tied to their plumbing systems. This is due to the installation of water lines that were constructed from lead pipes, fixtures, and soldered piping.

Plumbing fixtures as such corrode over time allowing lead particles to attach to the surface of pipes, that eventually enters your water system. This causes elevated lead levels in water. The lead that could be present in your home’s plumbing does not correspond with water Richton Park provides to its customers, nor does it have an effect on your current water bill.

The use of bottled water is a personal choice, but to be clear, the Village does not provide its residents with drinking water that is unsafe.

Richton Park is always looking to aid the community when trying to resolve issues as such. One way the Village is trying to assist is by exploring funding resources offered by the Illinois EPA to address properties that have external lead lines going to their homes. Please note that this is something that we are seeking, and not something that is a guarantee.

For more information on reducing lead exposure around your home/building and the health effects of lead, please visit USEPA’s website at www.epa.gov/lead or contact your health care provider.