Rapid City officials are working to get rid hundreds of lead pipes

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) - Decades ago use of lead in public water systems was banned by the federal government.

However, some older pipes still exist using lead or galvanized steel.

The Environmental Protection Agency-mandated Lead Service Line Inventory (LSLI) has begun across the nation and here in Rapid City.

The main goal behind the inventory is to find lead pipes in the city that could cause health issues over a long period.

The city water superintendent, Eric Boyda said if lead service lines are found, owners or renters will be notified.

“If any damage occurs, if you have a leak to a service line that’s made out of lead of galvanized steel, you can’t just do a simple fix. It requires the whole line to be replaced,” Boyda said.

According to the municipal code, homeowners are responsible for the cost of replacing those pipes.

“Right now, there isn’t any owner-specific funding opportunities, there will be opportunities for the city of Rapid City to apply for funds, so the biggest one right now is the state revolving water fund, and there’s funds available for lead service line replacements,” Boyda said.

Officials say if there are any unknown materials used building code regulations will need to be reviewed, and property owners may need to be contacted to set up an inspection.

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