Lead & Copper Testing

Thank you to the customers that participated in the Carmichael Water District's (CWD) Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) testing program. The sampling program is required by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The rule requires CWD to collect samples from 30 residences in order to monitor lead and copper at the customer's tap. The number of samples is determined by the population of the system. The number must be split equally between homes that have lead service lines and homes that have copper pipes with lead solder which were installed between 1983 and 1986. Since there are no homes with known lead service lines, the 30 residences were selected using the latter criteria.

Lead and copper analytical results are evaluated against an Action Level (AL), not a Maximum Contaminate Level (MCL). The AL for copper is 1.3 mg/L and the AL for lead is 0.015 mg/L.

The results of the testing are as follows:

  • Lead:
    • 28 of 30 sample results showed no lead detection.
    • There was detection in 2 of 30 samples.
    • The AL was not exceeded in over 10% of the samples.
    • Therefore; CWD is in compliance with the LCR.
  • Copper:
    • 6 of 30 sample results showed no copper detection.
    • 24 of 31 test results ranged from 0.060 mg/L to 0.220 mg/L
    • The AL was not exceeded in over 10% of the samples.
    • Therefore; CWD is in compliance with the LCR.

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