Frequently Asked Questions

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

 “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.

Galvanized service lines are steel pipes with a protective zinc coating to prevent rust and corrosion. Galvanized pipes that are or were downstream of lead may have built up lead deposits over time and can be a source of lead in your drinking water. The EPA has defined “Galvanized Requiring Replacement” to mean where a galvanized service line is or was at any time downstream of a lead service line or is currently downstream of a “Lead Status Unknown” service line.

Accuracy depends on: 

• Age and quality of historical records 

• Amount of field verification

• Available resources and funding. 

EPA requires utilities to improve the inventory over time and update it annually