The Drinking Water Branch carries out requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act to ensure public water supplies deliver safe drinking water. It has five sections and 49 staff who collectively have over 500 years of experience. The branch requires water systems to sample for various contaminants including lead and copper. If a system exceeds the lead action level of 15 ug/L, it must notify consumers of results, potential health effects, and steps to reduce exposure. Lead can enter water from aging pipes and plumbing; utilities treat water and work to replace lead components to reduce contamination.

1. IDEM
Drinking Water Branch
Office of Water Quality
Mary Hollingsworth, Branch Chief

2. Drinking Water Branch
• The Drinking Water Branch carries out the
requirements of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act
(SDWA) which is designed to ensure that Public
Water Supplies (PWS) deliver water to Hoosier
homes and businesses that is adequate in quantity
and is safe to drink. We do this by concentrating on
the water from the source all the way to the tap.

3. Drinking Water Branch
• The Drinking Water Branch has five different
sections:
– Compliance
– Inspection
– Construction Permits
– Groundwater
– Capacity Development and Operator Certification.

4. Drinking Water Branch
• Forty-nine staff members are comprised of
environmental scientists, inspectors,
geologists and chemists
• Collectively they have over 500 years of
experience managing public water suppliers
and carrying out requirements of the federal
Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).

5. Drinking Water Branch

6. Drinking Water Branch
• Systems must sample for
– Total Coliform
– Nitrate
– Inorganic Chemicals
– Volatile Organic Compounds
– Synthetic Organic Compounds
– Radionuclides
– Stage 1 and Stage 2 Disinfection Byproducts
– Lead and Copper

7. Lead and Copper Rule (LCR)
Background
• LCR, June 7, 1991
• Lead Action Level (AL) of 15 ug/L (ppb)
• An AL exceedance is not a violation, but can
trigger other requirements.
• Applies to all Community Water Systems
(CWSs) and Nontransient Noncommunity
water systems (NTNCWs)

8. Lead and Copper Sample
Collection Method
• First Draw
• 6-hour standing time
• One-liter Volume
• System or residents can collect
• Samples are taken from kitchen/bathroom cold
water taps, typically used for consumption.

9. Water Quality Factors Affecting Release of Lead
and Copper (EPA Technical Recommendations 2.3)
• Alkalnity, pH, and Dissolved Inorganic Carbon (DIC)
• Corrosion inhibitors
• Hardness (calcium and magnesium)
• Buffer intensity
• Dissolved Oxygen
• Ammonia, chloride, and sulfate
• Oxidation Reduction Potential
• Natural Organic Matter
• Iron, aluminum, and magnesium

10. Consumer Notice of Lead Results
• All systems must provide individual Lead tap
results to occupants of each location sampled.
• Regardless if results exceed the Lead Action
Level
• An explanation of the health effects of Lead
• Steps to reduce exposure
• IDEM Forms page

11. How Lead Gets in the Water
Some public water systems are facing a complex problem, due to aging pipes. Lead can be found in
the pipes and/or plumbing that carries water to its consumers.
Indiana Department of Environmental Management (800) 451-6027 • (317) 232-8603 • www.idem.IN.gov
Water Source
Lakes, rivers, reservoirs, and wells
do not usually contain action-level
lead amounts, but the water can be
corrosive to lead pipes.
Treatment facility
All large systems (serving a population greater than
50,000 people) must have treatment in place to control
corrosivity of the water. Small and medium-sized
systems must have treatment in place if the systems
exceed the lead or copper action level, as determined
by the U.S. EPA.
Main lines to home and businesses
The main water line pipes coming directly from the
treatment plant do not contain lead. Some water mains
have packing that connects pipes together, which may
contain lead. Service line pipes (the lines running
from the water main to the home) may be made of
lead.
Reducing the contamination
Utilities should test and treat water to control the
corrosivity at the treatment facility. The most common
treatment involves adding chemical phosphates to
coat the inner lining of the service pipes to reduce
contact between the water and the lead in the pipes
and/or plumbing. Ultimately, utilities and property
owners need to work together to replace any lead
service lines with non-lead pipes and household
plumbing that should not contain lead.
Testing
IDEM and the U.S. EPA have the same drinking water rule standards.
The rule specifies kitchen or bathroom cold water taps at single family
residences should be tested every three years. If more than 10% of the
locations sampled have lead levels above the action level, additional
action is required by the water system.

12. Public Education (PE)
• Systems Affected
• All systems exceeding Lead Action Level
• Educates consumers about the lead health
effects, sources, and steps to minimize
exposure
• Deliver materials to bill-paying customers
• Deliver within 60 days after end of monitoring
period

13. Health Effects of Exposure to Lead
• Children
– Behavior and learning problems
– Lower IQ and hyperactivity
– Slowed growth
– Hearing problems
– Anemia
• Pregnant Women
– Reduced growth of the fetus
– Premature birth

14. Updates
• Requested systems to complete Service Line
Questionnaire.
• Review and update Lead and Copper Sample
Plan
• Ensure systems are monitoring from locations
that are at high risk of Pb/Cu contamination

15. Some Changes ??
• Consumer notice within 24 hours if results is
over the AL
• All consumer notice within 10 days
• Public Education within 30 days
• Increase sampling

16. EPA
• Developing a New Action Plan for Drinking Water
– Advancing Next Generation Safe Drinking Water Act
Implementation
– Addressing Environmental Justice and Equity in
Infrastructure Funding
– Strengthening Protections against Lead in Drinking
Water
– Emerging and Unregulated Contaminant Strategies

19. Web Sites
• Drinking Water and Lead
– http://www.in.gov/idem/6968.htm
• Drinking Water Laboratory Certification
– http://www.in.gov/isdh/24859.htm
• Drinking Water Watch
• https://myweb.in.gov/IDEM/DWW/
• Virtual File Cabinet
– http://www.in.gov/idem/6953.htm

20. Certified Drinking Water Labs
• ISDH maintains lists of certified micro and
chemistry labs
• http://www.in.gov/isdh/24859.htm

21. IDEM Drinking Water Watch
• https://myweb.in.gov/IDEM/DWW/

22. Questions
Contact Information
Phone: 317-234-7435
DWBMGR@idem.in.gov
http://www.in.gov/idem/6968.htm