Avondale, PA: Lead Service Line Inventory
January 2024 - August 2024
EPIC Funding Navigators meet with Avondale Borough staff to discuss project plan
Community Description
Avondale, PA is served by a small water system with approximately 350 connections. The system is administratively managed by the borough’s treasurer and clerk and operated by an employee from the Department of Public Works. The median household income for the borough is $78,125, and 67% of the population is non-English speaking. Spanish is the primary language of 62% of the borough’s population.
Project Scope
EPIC, in partnership with the Water Center at Penn, provided assistance to Avondale to help complete their lead service line (LSL) inventory to comply with the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR).
Background and Services Provided
EPIC assisted Avondale in determining the material of the borough’s private-side (from curb valve to the meter in the building) water service lines. Because nearly all of Avondale’s private-side service lines were built before 1991, when Pennsylvania banned lead for use in plumbing, the borough was concerned that a high number of service lines were made from lead. EPIC contracted with a local youth center called The Garage to (1) employ young community members to create informational materials related to lead service lines and the town’s water improvement goals, (2) host two town halls - one in English and one in Spanish - to discuss the inventory and importance of identifying lead service lines, and (3) employ six young adults from the Garage to go house-to-house identifying service line material. Informational materials included a website, flyers, and door hangers related to the LSL inventory effort, as well as postcards regarding the town hall meetings. House visits were extremely successful and resulted in an inventory of all but 50 of the private-side service lines. None of the lines were made of lead, although the solder used on some of the connection points did contain lead. EPIC paid $17,500 to Garage for their services.
Challenges and Opportunities
| Type of Challenge | Project Experience | Outcomes and/or Opportunities |
|---|---|---|
| Labor/Workforce | Avondale’s water system is managed part-time by the borough’s treasurer and clerk, and operated by one employee from the Department of Public Works. There was no dedicated staff available to carry out the mandated LSL inventory. | Utilities can partner with outside organizations like AmeriCorps NCCC, local universities or community based organizations to help fill gaps in staffing. |
| Governance | LSL inventories are required but often costly and complex, with limited funding and little incentive to take on debt. This is especially challenging for communities that complete inventories only to find no lines need replacing, leaving them without funding options. | More grant funding and other financial resources dedicated specifically to LSL inventories should be made available. |
| Governance | 67% of the population in Avondale was non-English speaking, yet nearly all of Avondale’s leadership was primarily English-speaking, leading to a communication barrier between leadership and constituents. | TA providers can help communities engage partners who represent non-English speakers, improving transparency and boosting understanding and involvement in water system issues. |
| Governance | Pennsylvania mandates two forms of data to confirm service line material, but does not identify ways to obtain that data, leaving municipalities guessing as to how they can verify the material of their public-side service lines. | States adding requirements should also offer guidance and funding to support compliance. Federal LSL funding allocations should account for varying state rules or promote standardization. |
Project Next Steps
The Penn Water Center continues to work with the community of Avondale and provided support in completing the remaining LSL inventory. Since the community does not have to replace its service lines they can now focus on other drinking water initiatives such as installing new meters.