City of Mitchell aiming to remove lead water pipes servicing homes as part of state program

Sam Fosness, The Daily Republic, Mitchell, S.D.
·2 min read

Oct. 6—MITCHELL — City officials are on a mission to replace all lead water pipes that service Mitchell homes and businesses.

As part of a nationwide initiative that the state has joined called Lead-free South Dakota, the city of Mitchell is participating in the program to rid all lead water pipes servicing homes and businesses. The toxic metal has been known to cause harm in humans who consume lead in any form.

To eliminate lead pipes that service water to Mitchell residences and other establishments, Public Works Director Joe Schroeder said the city is asking all residents to check their water service pipes and identify the material transporting water into their property. Residents are then asked to document that information through a survey found on the city's website,

http://www.survey.sdwaterpipes.com/

.

If water pipes connecting to a property are visible, Schroeder said residents can perform a few tests to determine if the pipes are lead.

"There is a scratch test and magnet test you can use to determine what the material your water pipes are," Schroeder said.

A scratch test entails scratching away at the surface of an exposed water pipe. If the pipe is silver, it's considered a lead pipe, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. If a magnet that's placed on the exposed pipe doesn't attach to it, the NRDC says it indicates the pipe is lead.

Considering many water pipes are built underground, many homes may not have visible pipes. In that scenario, a record search of the property can also assist in identifying the material used for water pipes. Schroeder encouraged residents to contact the city of Mitchell's Public Works Department if they have difficulty identifying the material of their water pipes.

"Any home built after 1986 should not have lead water pipes as well," he said.

In 1986, the Safe Drinking Water Act was passed by the U.S. Congress, which prohibited the use of pipes, solder or flux that were not "lead free" in public water systems or plumbing in facilities providing water for human consumption.

Since the city began participating in the Lead-free South Dakota program this year, Schroeder said participation from residents has been slow. By October 2024, Schroeder said the city is required to have water pipe inventory on the entire city.

City officials aren't able to accurately estimate a rough total of how many lead pipes service Mitchell homes, but Schroeder said crews will periodically discover lead water pipes while working on water main projects.

"None of the city's water mains are lead. It's the pipes that service homes connecting to mains that could still be made of lead," he said. "We will inform the property owner anytime we discover lead service pipes and recommend they change them."