EATON — The city of Eaton has partnered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to begin inspecting residential water lines for lead and copper.
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As reported on News Center 7 at 5:00, the testing process began on Wednesday and targets approximately 700 homes to ensure the local drinking water remains safe.
Eaton is one of 11 cities in the state participating in this initiative, which also includes the cities of Sidney and Urbana.
While local officials reported no current evidence of contamination, the U.S. EPA is requiring the city to map its entire network of pipes.
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Eaton Service Director Zach Wilson identified 700 specific homes that require inspection as part of the project.
Wilson noted that the city currently has no known lead or copper contamination. The homes built after 1986 are not expected to have lead or copper lines.
However, he expressed uncertainty about the program’s long-term logistics.
“We don’t know what’s, you know, what the plan is from the U.S. EPA on, you know, replacement funding and those options,” Wilson said.
Jerry Yung, an Eaton resident, said he is encouraged by the testing despite having no immediate reason to believe his own water is unsafe.
Yung said he is aware of the potential health dangers associated with lead in older pipes.
“It should be concerning. And again, you can have your water tested,” Yung said. “I have not had that done, but I don’t have any reason to believe that I need to have it done.”
The U.S. EPA provided a statement noting that if lead is discovered, cities can apply for federal funding to replace those lines.
This funding is intended to ensure all residents have access to reliable drinking water.
Yung said he was glad that homeowners might avoid direct costs for line replacements.
“That’s probably a good thing, you know, that’s pretty good use of taxpayer money,” Yung said.
Inspections in Eaton are scheduled to continue through Friday.
The U.S. EPA has indicated that it eventually plans to check all cities in the state.
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