The Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) set 2024 and 2027 as milestone years. In 2024, water systems were required to submit their initial service line inventories. By November 2027, the bulk of new requirements take effect, including baseline inventories and the launch of mandatory service line replacements.
But what happens in the interim? What should water systems focus on in 2025 and 2026 to set themselves up for success when the LCRI deadlines arrive in 2027?
State-Level Nuances
Before diving into the details, remember that some states impose requirements beyond the federal LCRI. As with most compliance efforts, it’s critical to maintain open communication with your state primacy agency to ensure you’re aware of specific rules in your jurisdiction.
Requirements for 2025 and 2026
When water systems submitted their inventories in October 2024, they were required to notify customers served by a lead, galvanized requiring replacement (GRR), or unknown-status service line within one month.
Although LCRI does not mandate inventories need to be submitted in 2025 or 2026, water systems must:
- Send annual public notices to customers with lead, GRR, or unknown service lines. Some states require these notices to be sent in by November 15 each year, while other states say it needs to happen any time before the end of the year.
- Certify to their primary agency that those notices have been sent. These need to be sent to the states by July 1 of the following year.
Why reducing unknowns matters
The period before 2027 is an opportunity to reduce the number of “unknowns” in service line inventories. Proactively addressing these in 2025 and 2026 provides two major benefits:
- Fewer public notices now – decreasing the burden of annual communications.
- Reduced replacement obligations later – since beginning in 2027, required service line replacement numbers are based on the remaining lead and unknown lines.
Don’t wait for 2027. Known lead or not, cut down your “unknowns” now with predictive modeling and reduce tomorrow’s obligations. Partner with BlueConduit today.
