Under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Lead and Copper Rule (LCR), water systems are required to develop and maintain an inventory of all water service line materials, including both the publicly owned and customer-owned portions, and to notify customers when service line materials are an unknown material or may contain lead.
To comply with these requirements, the City sent a letter in December 2025 to approximately 8,000 residents in older neighborhoods where historical records are incomplete. The purpose of the letter was to fulfill the federal requirement to identify, verify, and track service line materials throughout the distribution system.
FAQs
Is my water safe to drink?
Yes. Your water is safe to drink and meets or exceeds federal and state drinking water standards. For more information regarding the City's water quality, visit wsac.city/ccr.
The City tests for lead every three years under the Lead and Copper Rule and annually in our source water. In more than 30 years of testing, the City continues to show non-detectable levels of lead in the water supply.
You do not need to use bottled water or an alternative water supply.
Is there lead in my water?
In more than 30 years of testing, the results continue to show non-detectable levels of lead in the City's water supply.
The notice you received does NOT mean lead was found in your water.
The notice means the material of the customer-owned service line is currently listed as "unknown." It could be copper or PVC as two examples, but until the City can verify the material, it is listed as "unknown."
Why did I get this letter if my water is safe?
Federal EPA rules require cities to inventory service line materials, including customer-owned portions.
In some cases, records aren't available, so lines must be temporarily listed as "unknown."
Do I need to do anything right now?
No immediate action is required.
If you received a letter, you may voluntarily help identify your service line material by calling the Public Works office at (916) 617-4850.
If you plan to replace or alter your service line, contact the City first at the number above.
What is the City doing next?
In 2026, the City will conduct state-approved inspection of a random sample (~20%) of unknown services lines.
If no lead or galvanized lines requiring replacement are found, the State allows the City to classify the remaining ~80% of lines as non-lead.
This process is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.
