Poplarville, MS: Lead Service Line Inventory
April 2024 - November 2025
Water tower in Poplarville, MS
Community Description
Poplarville is a community of 3,300 people in Pearl River County, Mississippi. The drinking water system supplies approximately 1,555 connections with water purchased from the Pearl River County Utility Authority. The town’s median household income is $34,815, below the state’s average.
Project Scope
Poplarville was referred to EPIC through a partner organization for assistance with a lead service line inventory. EPIC worked with the City to develop and submit a lead service line (LSL) inventory to comply with the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) in October of 2024.
Background and Services Provided
EPIC provided administrative and managerial assistance and worked directly with City staff and the contracted engineering firm to create an inventory and notify all customers of any lead or unknown service lines. In 2024, the City met the LCRR deadline for initial inventory submission with many unknowns reported. The City and EPIC collaborated on outreach materials for residents explaining the project, possible public health implications, how to self-report service line material, and instructions on finding additional information. Notification letters to all residents with service lines of unknown material were also notified within 30 days of the inventory submission, as is required by law.
After the 2024 deadline passed, the City continued to work on identifying the remaining unknown lines. The project team then took advantage of an ongoing project to help streamline the inventory work. The City had funding to purchase and install 500 new water meters. Recording service line material at the time of meter replacement was a good opportunity to combine forces. As the project neared completion, it was necessary to procure the services of a hydro excavation tool operator to expedite the service line examination. The second round inventory was completed by the November 1, 2025 deadline and submitted on time. No lead service lines were identified.
Challenges and Opportunities
| Type of Challenge | Project Experience | Outcomes and/or Opportunities |
|---|---|---|
| Governance | Utilities are obligated to complete LSL inventories, but receive little guidance or funding. They can be expensive and time consuming. There are often other pressing priorities. An application to the SRF to combine meter replacement with LSLI was unsuccessful. | Facilitating easier access to SRF funding by encouraging innovative and flexible projects at the state level may incentivize small disadvantaged communities to prioritize the LSL inventories for better public health and compliance with federal regulations. State leadership stressing the importance of the LCRR is needed. |
| Administrative | The City water meter/customer database was not up to date. When crews were replacing meters and observing service line materials, there was confusion, wasted time, and extra administrative work for the town deputy clerk and public works staff. | The City has updated their customer lists to exclude vacant or rezoned properties to create a more accurate database. This will help them track water usage and bill customers appropriately and efficiently. |
| Labor/Workforce | Limited utility staff capacity | EPIC provided supplemental labor. |
Project Next Steps
No lead service lines were reported by the engineering firm or public work staff, and the City may move on to work on other matters. Residents can contact the city for a copy of the inventory and refer to the annual Consumer Confidence Report for more information.
For small, disadvantaged communities, guidance from state agencies on project prioritization is often needed. State agencies could provide state-specific guidance, help interpret EPA directives, encourage outreach to the public, and underscore the importance of protecting public health and the environment. A state program to provide free, short-term technical and engineering assistance to community water systems could be very beneficial.