Skip to main navigation Skip to main content

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Overview

Check Your Pipes, KY is an initiative to assist water utilities and homeowners reduce the risk of lead exposure in drinking water. The EPA has a new regulation that requires water systems to find lead pipes and make a plan to remove them. On this page you will find a series of resources to help water professionals, customers, and decision-makers understand the risks of lead and what can be done to protect drinking water sources.
​​

​​
 

The Kentucky Division of Water has developed the Check Your Pipes, KY, outreach campaign for use by public water systems to help publicize their lead remediation efforts and educate stakeholders. The Communications Toolkit includes:
  • Check Your Pipes KY website: a guide for the general public about lead in drinking water and lead service line inventories
  • Test your service line video
  • Logos
  • Infographics
  • Brochures
  • Social media posts
  • Rack Cards, Post Cards, and Door Hangers
Water utilities are encouraged to customize these resources and share them with customers and community decision makers to improve public understanding of the issues surrounding lead in drinking water. For assistance with these resources, please reach out to (Cortni Edwards (cortni.edwards@ky.gov)​). ​

Image showing someone holding a glass of water, serves as a link to click to go to the Communications Tool Kit page

​Click the image above to go to the Communications Tool Kit


Lead is one of the contaminants that drinking water utilities test for regularly, as its health impacts are serious. The water provided by drinking water utilities is lead-free. Lead enters drinking water when plumbing materials that contain lead corrode, especially where the water has high acidity or low mineral content that corrodes pipes and fixtures. The most common sources of lead in drinking water are lead pipes, faucets, and fixtures. In homes with lead pipes that connect the home to the water main, also known as lead services lines, these pipes are typically the most significant source of lead in the water. Lead pipes are more likely to be found in older cities and homes.​

The first major rule regulating lead in drinking water was the 1991 Lead and Copper Rule of the Safe Drinking Water Act, but water systems were monitoring and removing lead long before that. In 2021 a new revision was released – the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR). These new revisions require that water systems do more to reduce lead in drinking water. The new requirements will be phased in over time, starting in 2024.​

The 2021 rule revisions require that water systems start doing several things they haven’t done before. Many of these actions will have additional costs and will require water systems to collaborate with more stakeholders than they have done in the past. The 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) does allocate additional funds for lead pipe identification and replacement, but these funds may not be sufficient to address all the expenses​.

The new rules require that Public Water Systems complete the following:
  • Service Line Inventory
  • Service Line Replacement
  • Tap Sampling
  • School and Childcare Center Sampling
  • Water Treatment
  • Public Education
For more information about the specific requirements of the new LCRR, visit the Check Your Pipes, KY: LCRR Requirements​ website.
​ ​​
EPA’s Fact Sheet for Developing and Maintaining a Service Line Inventory​

The 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) provides funds to water systems to find and remove lead service lines in the form of low-interest loans and forgivable loans. For more information, contact the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority. These funds are available until fiscal year 2026. 

The new requirements also necessitate additional costs that aren't covered by the BIL funds. Drinking water systems may want to leverage other funds to help with these costs.  Follow the links for other sources of funding for lead remediation: 

EPA Lead Resources
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Lead website contains information relating to all potential exposure routes for lead, and what communities can do to address these issues.

EPA Protect Your Tap
The EPA's Protect Your Tap guide will help you determine if you have a lead service line bringing water into your home. It uses pictures, step-by-step directions to identify lead service lines, provides tips to reduce lead exposure, information on testing your water, and resources to learn more . 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
The CDC's Lead in Drinking Water​​ resource page contains information about the risks of lead and steps that you should consider to help reduce exposure.​

Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet
300 Sower Blvd
Frankfort, KY 40601

Phone Directory
Contact Us
Civil Rights/Derecho Civiles

The Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability or sex. This policy protects the rights of Cabinet employees, service applicants and customers. Vendors, agencies and organizations providing services to the Cabinet or its recipients of federally-aided programs also must comply with this policy.