Press Release
Customer Notification – Olean, New York
Get the Lead Out Program Technical Assistance
December 11, 2024—Olean—On October 16, 2024, the City of Olean completed and submitted a water service line inventory to the New York State Department of Health (NYS DOH). Water service lines are the pipes that carry water from the water mains in the street to homes and other buildings served by the public water system. The inventory lists the type of material for each service line. Completing the inventory is an important step in Olean’s effort to identify and replace 100% of the lead service lines in the public water system.
In the next few weeks, homes and businesses will receive official letters from City of Olean if they have a service line that is known to contain lead or could possibly contain lead. The letters are required by the State of New York and provide information regarding the type of service line material, actions that can be taken to reduce potential lead exposure, and how to find additional information. In some cases, homes and businesses will be notified that the service line material is unknown and will be informed of steps being taken by the City of Olean to identify the material.
The city routinely tests for lead in drinking water and complies with state and federal drinking water requirements. Even when all drinking water standards are met, lead can enter the drinking water when it passes through a lead service line and building plumbing fixtures that contain lead. The City of Olean monitors and treats drinking water to ensure that pH levels are at a level that minimizes corrosion that can leach lead from pipes.
The Olean Public Works Water Department is responsible for maintaining the city’s water system and ensuring a reliable supply of clean water to residents and businesses. The department aims to improve the lives of families and build a sustainable future by investing in the infrastructure needed to provide clean and safe drinking water.
The water service line inventory was completed by reviewing water system records and conducting physical inspections. The city is receiving technical assistance for its continued inventory activities through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Get the Lead Out (GLO) Initiative. A total of 44 service lines in the water system are known or suspected to contain lead. This includes service lines that are only partially lead and galvanized service lines that may contain lead. For an additional 5,993 service lines, the type of material has yet to be fully identified and could possibly contain lead. The city is continuing its efforts to identify unknown service line materials.
The City of Olean is required by state and federal law to replace all of the lead service lines in the system, including galvanized lines that may contain lead. The city is developing a plan to replace all lead service lines as soon as possible and no later than 2037. To help pay for this effort, the city will utilize a portion of its capital improvement budget and is working to apply for funding through the State Revolving Fund (SRF) program.
The full service line inventory can be obtained by contacting the City of Olean Public Works Water Department. Additional information regarding the city’s drinking water test results, water service line inventory, health effects of lead, and lead service line replacement efforts can be found at https://cityofolean.org/dpw-water/, https://cityofolean.org/departments/public-works/ or by contacting the City of Olean’s Public Works Water Department at (716) 376-5657.