City Water Issues

The City of Lake Mills water system serves approximately 5,300 people and consists of three active wells, three booster pumping facilities, three ground storage reservoirs, one elevated water storage tank, and approximately 170,000 feet of water transmission and distribution mains.

Recently, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) sent a notice to the Lake Mills Light and Water Utility stating further action would have to be taken regarding lead and copper in your drinking water. Although most homes in Lake Mills have very low levels of lead and copper in their drinking water, some homes in the community have lead and copper levels above the EPA action levels. Lead and copper in your drinking water may come from materials commonly used in plumbing and water distribution systems, such as service lines, pipes, brass and bronze fixtures or solders and fluxes. Corrosive water may remove lead or copper from these materials, causing lead or copper to enter your drinking water.

Lead is unusual among drinking water contaminants in that it seldom occurs naturally in water supplies like ground water, rivers or lakes. Lead enters drinking water primarily as a result of the corrosion, or wearing away of materials containing lead in the water distribution system and household plumbing. These materials include lead-based solder used to join copper pipe, brass and chrome plated brass faucets, and in some cases, pipes made of lead that connect your house to the water main (service lines). In 1986, Congress banned the use of lead solder containing greater than 0.2% lead, and restricted the lead content of faucets, pipes and other plumbing materials to 0.8%.

When water stands in lead and copper pipes or plumbing systems containing lead for several hours or more, the lead or copper may dissolve into your drinking water. This means the first water drawn from the tap in the morning, or later in the afternoon after returning from work or school, can contain fairly high levels of lead or copper.

The Lake Mills Light and Water Utility has been adding phosphate to the water to reduce lead and copper leaching from interior pipe surfaces containing lead. The phosphate forms a very thin coating on interior pipe surfaces to keep lead and copper from dissolving into water. Many other water utilities across the U.S. have taken similar measures. The phosphate is added in the form of phosphoric acid. The Lake Mills Light and Water Utility has controlled lead and copper levels until recently. Because the levels of lead and copper are extremely sensitive to testing practices and the city has hired a firm to complete the testing for the rest of the year (2009). Historically, the homeowner has drawn the samples, but as federal requirements tighten down, better sampling practices can make a big difference.

WDNR is waiting to see the results of the first round of tests to make a final determination on changes the Utility would have to make in order to meet requirements. Possible options are requiring residents to change out their lead lines as the city rebuilds the system in front of their property. There are several other options the Utility could take to comply with the order.

The City and Utility will be working on solutions over the next several months.