How to determine where lead pipes are

There are an estimated 6-10 million lead service lines across the United States, spread out among 11,000 communities. We need to know precisely where they are.

Entries in this category should help answer the following questions:

  • What tools and data can help utilities determine the location of lead water pipes?

  • What’s the best way to publicly share an up-to-date inventory of all lead pipes in the city?

  • Are ongoing projects (i.e. water meter changes) beneficial to expedit identification of unknown lines?

  • What predictive mapping tools can be leveraged to kick start the identification process?

  • How can we engage the public as a source of information to identify and map lead water pipes?

Submissions can be:

  • Criteria or guidelines for how to find lead pipes

  • Inventory algorithms to predict where lead pipes are

  • An app for residents or administrators to document lead pipes in their community.

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Mapping