By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
For most homes and buildings built after 1988, the presence of lead is less prevalent, but the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) wants to know for sure. The EPA is still requiring cities and municipalities to fill out surveys to determine what material every water line is made of in town.
In an effort to figure out more water service line material, the City of Great Bend will be conducting in-person visits to homes and businesses starting on Monday, Feb. 10. Great Bend Public Works Director Jason Cauley said the city does not necessarily want to come inside homes.
"We're really not wanting to come in, as of yet, to visualize it ourselves," said Cauley. "We really want to stay out of people's homes and just ask questions. We want to respect people's privacy. We don't want to be in anyone's home more than they want us in there."
Cauley said the survey is more than 95% complete on the city side of water line pipes, but roughly 54% finished with the customer side or private side of determining materials.
Representatives from the city and JEO Consulting Group will be visiting properties across the city to ask about their plumbing. Officials may ask for photos or look at your water service line with permission.
"If they invite us in to take a look, we may come in," said Cauley. "For the most part we don't want to do that. I think the biggest thing to stress is if you don't know then we'll see what we can do to help figure it out."
The home visits will take place Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday next week between the hours of 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.