In 2021, the federal Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) went into effect. The revised rule requires every federally defined community water system to develop a lead service line inventory by October 16, 2024. The goal is to use the inventory to apply for funding and replace lead service lines in order to protect drinking water quality. If present in drinking water, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. It is possible that lead levels at your home may be higher than at other homes as a result of the materials used in your home’s water pipes. The Village of Coxsackie regularly tests for lead in drinking water according to NYS Department of Health regulations. No excessive levels of lead were found in 2023 (see the Village’s Annual Drinking Water Quality Report for 2023). The Village has begun this LSL Inventory using historical construction records and Greene County Real Property data. Your help is needed in completing the Village of Coxsackie LSL Inventory. For your convenience, we have included a link to a video that shows you what to look for in your home to determine what kind of water pipe enters your home. More information is available from the NYS Department of Health webpage HERE Steps You Can Take to Reduce Your Exposure to Lead in Drinking Water
- Use your filter properly. Using a filter can reduce lead in drinking water. If you use a filter, it should be certified to remove lead. Read any directions provided with the filter to learn how to properly install, maintain, and use your cartridge and when to replace it. Using the cartridge after it has expired can make it less effective at removing lead. Do not run hot water through the filter. For more information on facts and advice on home water filtration systems, visit EPA’s website at
https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/home-drinking-water-filtration-fact-sheet and https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2018-12/documents/consumer_tool_for_identifying_drinking_water_filters_certified_to_reduce_lead.pdf
- Clean your aerator. Regularly remove and clean your faucet’s screen (also known as an aerator). Sediment, debris, and lead particles can collect in your aerator. If lead particles are caught in the aerator, lead can get into your water.
- Use cold water. Do not use hot water from the tap for drinking, cooking, or making baby formula as lead dissolves more easily into hot water. Boiling water does not remove lead from water.
- Run your water. The more time water has been sitting in your home’s pipes, the more lead it may contain. If the water in your home has not been used for a while, for example overnight, before drinking water from the tap flush your home’s pipes by taking a shower, doing laundry, doing a load of dishes or running the tap. The amount of time to run the water will depend on whether your home has a lead service line or not, as well as the length and diameter of the service line and the amount of plumbing in your home. It is recommended to run your water for a period of 3-5 minutes to flush your service line or until the water feels cool. Once the water at your faucet runs cool to touch, this indicates you have flushed the water from the building piping.