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Lead Service Line Identification
The Town of Maynard is taking steps to comply with EPA’s new Lead and Copper Rule Revisions. To support this compliance, we have hired an engineering firm to review our system records and identify lead or galvanized water services.
- If your property has been identified as having a lead or galvanized water service, you will receive a letter from us that includes steps you can take to reduce your risks of lead exposure.
- If we have been unsuccessful in identifying your service line material based on our records review, we will send you a letter requesting your assistance in determining your water service material.
- If you do not receive a letter, you should assume you do not have a lead or galvanized service, and no action is required.
- Letters are sent out once a year
Over the next several years we will be making a concentrated effort to remove all lead and galvanized water services from the system and classify all unknown services. More information will be released on this program when available.
Inventory Report
Please see our 2025 inventory: 2025 Service Line Inventory by Address
This inventory was published on 12/19/2025
Submit your Service Line Identification
If you received a letter marked "You home is served by a service line status unknown" send your service line information to Maynard DPE using this tool: Lead Service Line Self Reporting Tool (Smartsheet) Once we have your self-assessment, we may contact you to perform a service line material inspection.
Assistance
If you are having difficulty identifying your service line material or navigating MassDEP’s web app, you can schedule a service line identification appointment with a Town of Maynard Water Division staff member instead. To do so, please send an email to DPW@townofmaynard.net with “Lead Service Line ID Appointment” in the subject line and include your name and address in the body of the email. You can also call our office at 978-897-1317 on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 8:00am – 4:00pm, Tuesday from 8:00am – 7:00pm, or Friday from 8:00am – 12:00pm.
- Does this notice mean the water is unsafe?
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This does not indicate that the source water is unsafe, as this relates to water pipe materials only. Maynard maintains corrosion control treatment that greatly reduces lead levels in its water. However:
• A lead or GRR service line remains a potential source of lead,
• No amount of lead is safe for children, and
• Replacement of lead and GRR service lines is the long-term solution.
You can get your home's water tested by a Massachusetts State certified lab, see a state list here: https://www.mass.gov/how-to/find-a-certified-laboratory-for-water-testing
- Can property owners help confirm the service line material?
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Yes. Property owners may:
• Schedule an inspection with the Maynard DPW.
• Perform safe self-checks for interior pipes near the meter and inform Maynard DPW.
• Provide Maynard DPW with plumbing records or renovation documents.
Successful public participation greatly improves inventory accuracy.
Please contact the Maynard DPW Water Division with questions regarding your service line material at dpw@townofmaynard.net or 978-897-1317
- Will the water utility replace my lead or GRR service line?
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Maynard DPW Water Division is developing a Lead Service Line Replacement Program with the goal of removing all lead and GRR service lines in the water system. Maynard DPW strongly encourages customer participation in lead service line replacement. Please consider contacting your home insurance company regarding any information they may have on insurance solution.
- What is a Service Line?
-
A service line is the pipe that connects a home or building to the public water main. Many older properties, especially those built before the 1980s, may have lead pipes, lead connectors, or plumbing components containing lead. Because these materials can leach lead into drinking water, identifying them is essential for protecting public health.
- What is a Service Line Inventory (SLI)?
-
A Service Line Inventory is a system-wide catalog of all service lines, identifying each one as:
• Lead
• Galvanized requiring replacement (GRR)
• Non-lead
• Unknown
Under the EPA’s Lead & Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR), every public water system in the U.S. must develop and maintain an accurate inventory and update it regularly.
- Why did I receive a letter? What do I need to do at this time?
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If you have received a Consumer Notice, Maynard DPW Water Division has identified the service line at your property to be lead, galvanized requiring replacement, or unknown. Please carefully review the Consumer Notice you have received regarding the status of your service line. In your letter, you can find next steps on how to proceed depending on your service line material.
- How can I find out what the material of my service line is?
-
Maynard DPW has posted the current inventory information available on this site at the top under inventory report. The inventory lists the “customer-side” and “utility-side” service line materials for each address that has been confirmed by staff. If your address states “unknown” then we have not confirmed the material.
- Why is the inventory required?
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The federal rules aim to:
• Help utilities find and eventually remove all lead service lines.
• Increase transparency for residents and building owners.
• Improve public health by reducing lead exposure, especially in children.
Creating an accurate inventory is the first step toward planning and funding LSL replacements.
- How is my water system compiling the inventory?
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Utilities are using a combination of methods:
• Reviewing historical records (tap cards, construction logs, permits).
• Conducting field inspections or potholing to expose buried pipes.
• Coordinating with property owners to confirm the material inside homes.
Because no single method is perfect, multiple data sources are often combined.
- What does “unknown” mean in the inventory?
-
“Unknown” means the utility does not yet have enough reliable evidence to determine the pipe material. This frequently occurs in older neighborhoods where records are missing.
HELPFUL LINKS
- State of Massachusetts
- MassDEP's website at https://www.mass.gov/service-details/is-there-lead-in-my-tap-water
- Department of Public Health's website at https://www.mass.gov/orgs/childhood-lead-poisoning-prevention-program
- https://www.mass.gov/info-details/lead-and-copper-rule-revisions
- EPA