Water service line inventory survey
The City of Dover is undertaking an inventory of all water service lines connected to its public drinking water system as part of complying with federal regulations. Specifically, the city is documenting what service lines are made of, such as plastic, copper, or brass. To assist with the inventory, the city requests water system users complete this brief online survey.
Visit https://bit.ly/service-line-survey to take the survey.
The survey requests the address of the water user, the approximate year the property building was constructed, and what material the service line is made of, if known. Understanding that many people may not know the exact material, the city created this document with pictures and descriptions of the possibilities to assist. City personnel are also willing to inspect the service line in person to help with the inventory efforts.
Water service lines connect from the water main on the street to the water meter of the house or building, often located in the basement.
In the rare event the service line is determined to be made of lead or galvanized steel, the City of Dover will work with the property owner to immediately correct the issue. As part of proactive efforts, the city has identified and replaced all known lead or galvanized steel water service lines for decades.
For more information, contact City of Dover Assistant Engineer Amelia DeGrace at 603-516-6450.
What is a service line?
A service line is the section of pipe that runs under the house to supply water. It connects to the water main out in the street and usually enters your house in your basement. Depending on the water system, most service lines have split ownership, meaning the water system owns a portion of the service line, and the homeowner owns a portion.
If a lead service line is discovered, it is essential that the entire service line be replaced from the water main to the building, or lead will continue to leach into the drinking water.
What is my water system required to do now?
All public water systems in New Hampshire are required to submit an inventory of the service lines to the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) by October 16, 2024. Even if all water lines in the drinking water system are non-lead, your water system still needs to confirm their materials and submit the inventory to NHDES. Your water system may require access to the home or information about your service line to properly inventory the portion of the service line that you may own.