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Flush Sampling and Sequential Profile Sampling for Lead Service Line Identification
Citation:
James, R., V. Lal, D. Lytle, AND M. Schock. Flush Sampling and Sequential Profile Sampling for Lead Service Line Identification. Presented at 16th Annual EPA Drinking Water Workshop Small Systems Challenges and Solutions, Cincinnati, OH, September 24 - 26, 2019.
Impact/Purpose:
This presentation was developed under a contract with Battelle. The authors of this presentation are Ryan James and Vivek Lal from Battelle, along with Darren Lytle and Michael Schock from NRMRL/WSD. This research evaluates the use of two different sampling techniques to identify lead service lines in homes. These sampling techniques are less invasive and more cost-effective than traditional methods that involve digging up front yards. Both techniques were found to successfully identify lead service lines in most homes, with sequential profile sampling providing the highest degree of confidence. This is a research effort supported by SSWR 6.02. Regan Murray (NRMRL/ORD) reviewed this presentation. This is a tracked product under the ORD Pb Bowling Chart. Valerie Zartarian and Mike Hiscock from ORD are aware of this work. The research summarized in the presentation has not been externally reviewed. This is the first time this presentation will be released outside of EPA.
Description:
This presentation will be presented at the 16th Annual EPA Drinking Water Workshop Small Systems Challenges and Solutions, Cincinnati, Ohio. Background: (1)Sources of lead in drinking water include lead service lines, galvanized steel pipes and fittings, etc., (2) Lead concentrations at the tap influenced by many factors (location and number of pipe surfaces containing lead, stagnation time, water use, plumbing configuration, sampling location, temperature, physical or hydraulic disturbances, etc.), (3) Critically important to be able to inform residents of the presence of a LSL, (4) In response to the water crisis, EPA recommended “Lead Service Line Detection Methodology Development”. Objective: Evaluate and refine an approach for identifying lead service lines, based on a combination of the LSL identification protocols previously identified using water samples. (1)Included use of fully flushed sampling to further investigate ways to reduce the invasiveness of the sampling effort and analysis expense, (2) Used full sequential profile data to simulate the LCR first draw sampling to estimate their effectiveness in identifying LSLs, (3) Provided drinking water lead concentrations corresponding to flow rate, LSL length, etc. Conclusions: (1) Sequential profile sampling offers the highest degree of confidence of LSL identification, (2) If good baseline data exists, flushed samples can be used as screening samples to determine where LSL replacement should be considered, (3) Use of flushed samples would save considerable sampling and analysis resources and require much less cooperation of the home resident, (4) Drafting of a protocol to assist utilities in application of a screening technique using a combination of flushed and sequential sampling.