EPA Demonstrates New Lead Pipe Detection Tools

The EPA demonstrated technologies from Dartmouth and Drexel that could help water systems locate lead service lines with less excavation, time and expense. Dartmouth’s electromagnetic induction method analyzes responses from buried metal pipes, while Drexel’s stress-wave approach uses vibrations and ground sensors to help distinguish lead pipes from other materials. The Edison test bed provides controlled conditions for evaluating these approaches, but the EPA said participation is not agency endorsement or certification. The technologies could help utilities identify remaining lead lines as they work to address public health risks; more than 97% of water systems have completed initial service-line inventories, according to the EPA.