Spotlight: Required Water Line Tests Coming to the Hudson Valley

Every once in a while, something important actually shows up in the mail. As a resident of the Town of Newburgh, my letter showed up earlier this week. If your home uses public water, you should be checking your mail, too.

The letter I received explained that Hudson Valley residents who use municipal water will be required to conduct a test on their water lines. Here's what homeowners need to know:

Required Tests for Municipal Water Users in New York

Municipal water is generally provided by local reservoirs, lakes, or even large wells. Generally a service of local towns or cities, the (generally) affordable option provides New Yorkers with water for everything from drinking and cooking to bathing and washing clothes. Now, residents are required to perform a special test.

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Required Test from EPA

"The Environmental Protection Agency is requiring all Municipal Water Systems to take a water service line inventory on both[the] interior and exterior of all homes", began the letter from the Town of Newburgh Water Manager Steve Grogan. Here's what they want to know:

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How the Test Works

The required tests don't have to do with the water itself, but the pipes in which the water is delivered. Materials include plastic, copper, lead, as well as galvanized steel, and your local town wants to know which ones are in your home by conducting a simple test.

Conducting Your Own Water Line Test

My letter suggested I conduct my test armed with a flashlight, a penny, and a magnet. After locating the exterior line (the pipes going in and out of your water meter, above) as well as your interior service line (this pipe is generally at the lowest level of your home and comes out of a wall), it's time to test.

How to Identify Your Water Line Pipe Material

Plastic pipes are rather simple to identify, and magnets will stick to galvanized steel pipes. Lead pipes can be identified by their silver-gray color and do not attract magnets, while copper pipes are the color of a new penny and also do not attract magnets.

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Your own town letter should include further instructions of how and where to send your results. The Town of Newburgh is asking residents to complete their tests by September 9th 2024.