By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) wants an inventory of water services from every city in the country. The EPA wants to make sure all lead and copper water pipes are replaced.
Great Bend staff released an online lead
and copper survey to residents to help gather the EPA-required information. There
are roughly 6,700 water meters or accounts within the City of Great Bend. City
Clerk Shawna Schafer said as of last Friday, the city had received 753 surveys.
"We had quite a few that were not were not completed accurately," said Schafer. "They didn't answer all the questions or they check marked every box. We didn't apply the credit to those."
If residents fill out the questionnaire by Aug. 31, they will
receive a $25 credit on their utility bill.
The survey asks about the pipe line
entering the house, what year your service line was installed and the size of
pipe. Councilmember Alan Moeder, a professional plumber, felt the questionnaire
was slightly confusing and suggested getting area plumbers to help residents.
"A lot of people need help filling it out...they're lost," said Moeder. "I've helped 30 or 40 already. Us plumbers are in their homes everyday. I think that is where our best help is going to come from. We need to contact the other plumbers in town. I carry sheets in my van and help customers with it."
Assistant City Administrator Logan Burns said city staff will also search
through recent permits to determine the water infrastructure throughout town. The
EPA expects the inventory to be completed by October 2024.