Creating an actionable and accurate inventory of service lines for future lead replacement programs in Minnesota

MDH Lead Service Line Inventory and Technical Services Master Contract

Protecting public health includes reducing lead and copper levels in drinking water. To comply with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR), the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) contracted with our team to inventory the service lines for 26 public water systems.

For this program, we worked with various communities and public water systems of different sizes, each with their own unique circumstances. We conducted a records review for lead service line (LSL) inventory development and developed an ArcGIS web application as the inventory database platform. We collected additional information on customer service line though an online survey or visual inspection at each house connection.

After collecting this information, we developed an ArcGIS database and web application tailored to fit each community’s needs versus an out-of-the box product. The tailored application met MDH requirements and eased data entry as a quality assurance measure with a lower overall delivery cost. The web application allows for the entry of data in the field or office concurrently. It includes an online survey for water service customers to provide information and photos of their service line.

When completed, these inventories will be a living document. Each community or public water system will be able to update their database regularly regarding the number of water services, material type, and most importantly the number of lead lines and the lines’ removal over time.