Longmont has “safe, reliable drinking water” according to a lead protection program update that was presented to the Longmont City Council during its study session Tuesday.
A recent service-line investigation determined that the city’s water distribution system is “free” of lead water service lines, according to a council memo.
The city announced on Oct. 16 that it conducted a thorough investigation of service lines in its water system at the direction of the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In January 2021, the EPA enacted revisions to drinking water regulations that required water systems to develop a water service line materials inventory by Oct. 16.
The city’s Oct. 16 announcement said that Longmont’s water system poses no risk of lead contamination.
The update provided to the City Council Tuesday was intended to dive deeper into those findings.
The regulatory limit for lead in drinking water is 15 parts per billion. The council memo explained how “one part per billion is like adding one drop of water to a 10,000-gallon swimming pool.” The council memo went on to say that the city’s lead concentration was less than 2 parts per billion, which is far less than the regulatory limit.
Of the 10 largest school districts in the state, only St. Vrain Valley School District had no drinking fountains or sinks that showed lead levels at 5 parts per billion or higher, the council memo noted.
“Just know, Longmont has safe, reliable drinking water. Our children are safe and … our staff will continue to be diligent in the maintenance of our system and the sampling of our water,” John Gage, Longmont engineering and operations administrator, said during Tuesday’s study session.
The water service line investigation cost approximately $286,000.
In other news, several people came to the study session to raise concerns about the work being done at Dry Creek Community Park and its impact on wildlife, particularly prairie dogs.
“City Council needs to prioritize finding better ways to develop without harming our local ecosystems,” Longmont resident Jaime Fraina said. “You have the chance now to stop this and make things right.”
Earlier this year, the city announced plans to relocate a large prairie dog colony from Dry Creek Community Park to get the property ready for park improvements including: additional ballfields, a water plaza with interactive water features, a new playground, restrooms and park shelters.
The prairie dogs that were successfully captured at Dry Creek Community Park were relocated to the U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot in Pueblo.
The council did not directly address the remarks brought up during the public comment period concerning Dry Creek Community Park.
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