When Alissa McKinney Passios received a letter recently from Citizens Energy Group, she was confused. The letter informed her there was a possibility her Irvington home was serviced by lead pipes.
“When I got it I was pretty upset because we went through a lead paint disclosure due to the age of the home when buying the house, but nothing that I recall about lead pipes,” said McKinney Passios, the mother of two toddlers.
Neither Indiana nor the federal government require home buyers to be notified of the use of lead pipes in or leading to the home. But an Environmental Protection Agency rule change a couple of years ago does require utilities to notify customers of their lead service line status.
Citizens Energy is amid a years-long process to do more than that. It is replacing lead service lines, but a recent notification letter it is sending out to customers is raising additional questions and worrying people such as McKinney Passios.
McKinney Passios is worried about the long term health effects that could be caused if lead was in her family’s water supply. She has requested a lead sampling kit from Citizens Energy, but she is unclear what the utility company will do if lead is found in her water supply.
Here’s what we know about the letter, which has begun circulating to Citizens customers:
Why did I receive a letter?
The letter is required by the Environmental Protection Agency, which updated its Lead & Copper Rule in 2022 to require water utility companies to notify its customers yearly about their lead service line status.
What does this letter mean?
According to Citizens Energy Group, the letter was sent to customers who own or live on a property connected by a lead service line or whose homes may require more investigation to find out whether that’s the case.
Many homes and buildings built before 1950 in Central Indiana included a service line made of lead, and Citizens estimates that about a third, or about 75,000, of its customers may still use a lead service line.
The letter will inform you if your service lines fall into these categories:
- Non-lead — does not contain lead
- Lead — contains lead
- Galvanized metal requiring replacement — contains steel lines dipped in a protective coating containing lead that can also capture lead from upstream sources
- Unknown — requires more investigation
How many homes near me have lead service lines?
The utility created a map, called the Water Service Line Inventory, that plots every known and potential site. To use it, type in your address or zoom in to your neighborhood to see how many homes around you still have lead service lines.
Am I being exposed to lead?
Citizens Energy Group said drinking water that leaves their treatment facilities does not contain lead, but customers’ lead services lines or interior plumbing systems could be adding lead to your drinking water.
If you received a letter saying you have lead service lines or may have them, you can request a free lead sampling kit to test your water by filling out an online form.
Here’s what Citizens Energy said you can do to minimize risk of lead exposure if your home contains lead services lines:
- Use water filters certified to remove lead
- Run the tap for five minutes to flush the water if the tap has been unused for more than six hours
- Regularly clean your faucet aerator, the little screen at the spout of your sink faucet
- Consider using bottled water or an alternative source of drinking water
What can I do to replace my service lines?
Citizens Energy has begun a $500-million, multiyear project to replace all the lead service lines owned by the company’s customers. The project will identify and replace those service lines at no cost to customers.
The company has started removing the lead service lines in several neighborhoods and is planning more in 2025.
Here’s the list of where that’s happening:
- Martindale Brightwood
- East Michigan Street from College Avenue to Ellenberger Parkway West Drive
- East New York Street from College Avenue to Emerson Avenue
- Pennsylvania Street from 46th Street to Westfield Boulevard
- Washington Boulevard from 29th Street to 40th Street
- Eugene Street from Elmira Street to Ethel Street, including a portion of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Street
Here a list of planned service line replacements:
- East 10th Street from Jefferson Avenue to North Rural Street and North Rural Street from East 10th Street to East St. Clair Street
- A portion of South Keystone Avenue between East Prospect Street and East Pleasant Run Parkway North Drive
- East Pleasant Run Parkway North Drive from Evison Street to South Randolph Street
- West Street from West Morris Street to 11th Street
- West Michigan Street from North Holmes Avenue to North White River Parkway West Drive
- 42nd Street from the Monon Trail to Evanston Avenue
To see a map of current and planned Citizens construction projects, head to its Construction Projects Map.
Can I replace them on my own?
If you own a property that is not in the project areas, you can replace the service lines on your own and have Citizens pay for a part of it.
There are two options:
- Property owners with lead service lines can request a quote from Citizens’ contractor and have the contractor replace the service line in private property and in the public right of way as one project while paying only for the replacement on private property.
- Property owners can contract directly with a plumber or contractor registered and bonded with Citizens and complete a service line modification permit and pay to replace the portion of the service line on private property. Citizens will then attempt to replace the portion of the service line in the public right of way at the same time or within 45 days.
You can request a quote by filling out an online form.
Any questions?
For more information, contact the Lead Service Line Replacement Team or call Citizens Energy Group at 317-924-3311 or online.
Mirror Indy reporter Darian Benson covers east Indianapolis. Contact her at 317-397-7262 or darian.benson@mirrorindy.org. Follow her on X @HelloImDarian.
Mirror Indy reporter Enrique Saenz covers west Indianapolis. Contact him at 317-983-4203 or enrique.saenz@mirrorindy.org. Follow him on X @heyEnriqueSaenz.
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