Editor’s note: BlueConduit recently hosted a webinar around LCRI compliance and managing service lines of unknown material. In this series, we detail some of the questions we received.
How do I start classifying the unknowns in my system?
Your initial inventory has been submitted, and you’ve found you have a high volume of service lines whose materials are unknown. Since those lines must be presumed lead until proven otherwise, that means annually notifying customers about their service lines – an act that can cause undue stress and panic, especially if you are confident your system has no lead – alongside annual inventory updates and other compliance requirements. How do you begin to prioritize managing those unknowns and classifying them as non-lead, lead or GRR?
First, it’s important to fully understand the volume of your unknowns, which should have been done during the initial inventory process. Only then can you decide the best method for eliminating those unknowns. We recommend using predictive modeling, especially for systems that have a high number of unknowns. It requires some limited inspections to develop high-confidence models (particularly if you already have lead in your system) or statistical analysis (if you need to prove the absence of lead) to support decisions the water system needs to make.
If you’re using predictive modeling to manage your unknowns, it’s also critically important to understand what it means to have a representative sample. Without a representative sample to conduct your field investigations, you run the risk of inaccurately identifying service line material or missing important lines for classification altogether.
Eliminating your unknowns is more than just checking a box for compliance, but setting yourself up for success moving forward. Classifying inventory unknowns as lead, GRR or non-lead can seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. You can use a combination of your existing data as well as statistical analysis to find patterns that will help you make the best decisions for your community when it comes to future compliance and LSL/GRR replacements.
BlueConduit can help you with your LCRI requirements from reducing unknowns to replacement planning. Let’s talk! Contact us to learn more.
