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Effective Communication Strategies for Lead Service Line Replacement and Why Copper Is the Key to Success

Building trust within your community through effective communication and education about lead service line progress, homeowner's water service lines, and your lead reduction strategies and initiatives is essential for the success of a lead replacement program. But how do you strike the right balance between outreach and participation without alarming customers?

Based on our involvement with communities undergoing lead service line replacement programs, an effective approach involves disseminating accurate and timely information and engaging in open dialogues where community members feel heard and respected. Prioritizing transparent communication and using reliable materials, such as copper, for replacements can help ensure long-term public health and environmental safety. Copper's impermeability, safety, and sustainability make it superior to other materials. Its proven track record over decades of use guarantees that it will continue to provide safe drinking water for generations.

Key Requirements of the LCRR and LCRI

Before we dive into best replacement practices, let’s review the communication guidelines for water utilities as outlined in the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations for Lead and Copper: Improvements (LCRI). Water utilities are required to educate the public about lead and copper issues in accordance with these guidelines. In addition to following these requirements, water utilities must submit Consumer Confidence Reports. Effective in 2027, these reports must include detailed actions taken to address lead concentrations above specific levels and the expected timeframe for these actions. Here is a summary of the required information from the EPA on what the report should include.

Effective Ways to Educate and Engage the Public About Lead Reduction Programs and Initiatives

Educating and engaging the public about lead reduction programs and initiatives is imperative for ensuring the success of these crucial efforts in promoting public health and environmental safety. By employing effective communication strategies, public outreach can foster awareness and understanding while encouraging active participation from community members. Here are six best practices we hear again and from communities undergoing lead pipe replacement programs: 

1. Clear Takeaway Messages: Emphasize the reasons why copper is the best choice for water service lines, focusing on its safety, reliability, and long-term benefits for public health.

2. Multiple Communication Channels: Recognize that every community has different social and cultural norms that impact how individuals absorb information. Utilize a range of communication tools to effectively reach your audience, such as community gatherings, social media posts, newsletters, and informative flyers delivered by mail or available at public facilities. 

3. Engagement with Community Leaders: Partner with trusted local leaders to reinforce the message and encourage greater community participation in your programs. By engaging with local leaders, you tap into their influence and help establish trust within the community.

During a recent discussion at the ACE’24 Expo, Alexis Woodrow, Lead Reduction Program Manager at Denver Water, shared that Denver Water sends out contractors, construction managers, and field staff to visit with homeowners to discuss the process, alleviate concerns, and ensure that construction causes minimal disruption and is completed as quickly as possible. “This approach can increase the likelihood of obtaining customer consent,” said Woodrow.

4. Interactive Platforms: Create opportunities for the community to ask questions and provide feedback. This can involve hosting Q&A sessions, setting up a dedicated helpline, or creating an interactive website section with FAQs about your lead reduction program. Encouraging two-way communication helps address concerns and improve understanding.

5. Develop Effective Public Education Materials: Creating public education materials that resonate with diverse audiences is essential for promoting compliance and building trust. By customizing your materials to align with the community's needs and preferences, you can effectively convey the message on lead and copper safety to all.

6. Provide Action Steps: Clearly outline what residents should do if they suspect lead in their water. Provide step-by-step guidance on how to request testing, what actions to take if high lead levels are detected, and who to contact for more information. Make it easy for the audience to find and follow these steps.

Woodrow shared that Denver residents are provided with water filters and advised to use them for drinking, cooking, and food preparation. Additionally, the city has increased the pH of the water in the mains to help form a protective coating over any lead pipes in the system. Denver Water has also established a laboratory to study the relationship between pH levels and the amount of lead released from lead service lines. This approach helps minimize lead levels while homeowners await the installation of copper water lines.

Effective communication encourages an open dialogue. Woodrow says when sharing resources to educate the public about your lead program, "It is crucial to embrace input and feedback from the community, even when it includes resistance. Clear and concise messaging empowers communities to ask questions, allowing utilities to offer reassurance and carry out essential replacements."

Case Studies: What Other Water Utilities Are Doing

Madison, Wisconsin

Madison, Wisconsin, provides an exemplary model for other cities aiming to enhance public trust through effective communication. The city's water utility has implemented a comprehensive communication strategy that includes clear takeaway messages, multiple communication channels, and active engagement with community leaders. 

By fostering open dialogues and providing transparent information, Madison has built trust and credibility with its community members. The city conducted informational sessions and workshops focused on educating residents about lead service lines, offering guidance on identifying them, and providing resources for water testing and preventing lead contamination. 

They leveraged their website to provide in-depth details about lead service replacement programs and established a direct contact email for further inquiries. Additionally, they collaborated with community organizations, local media, and neighborhood associations to disseminate information about the program, increasing awareness and promoting participation in lead reduction efforts.

According to the City of Madison website, “Since 2000, Madison Water Utility has worked to replace all known lead water service lines in the city -- more than 8,000 in all -- with much safer copper.”

For more information on Madison, Wisconsin’s LSLR program, visit their website: City of Madison - Information for Utilities on Lead Service Replacement.

Denver, Colorado

Denver Water takes pride in being a national leader in managing clean water systems, and its lead service line replacement program is no exception. They offer a public web page that provides information on the sequence of events for water service line replacement. They have also mapped out all the properties identified as likely to have lead service lines. Denver residents can enter their address and an interactive map will tell them if their home is one of the estimated 64,000 to 84,000 homes with a possible lead service line. Moreover, their website offers detailed booklets on what individuals need to know about lead service line construction, replacement, and post-replacement considerations. The web page includes videos demonstrating the service line replacement process and showcasing before-and-after sections. Additionally, the page allows users to switch languages easily. 

Along with their online educational content, they are also involved in a combination of community meetings, public forums, educational campaigns, and targeted communication channels to disseminate information and engage with residents.

Denver Water uses copper pipes for replacement because they are durable, reliable, and long-lasting. Denver Water has produced several excellent videos to inform its residents of the replacement program and what to expect once work begins.

To obtain a more accurate understanding of Denver Water's public outreach efforts and successes, we recommend visiting its website: Denver Water—Lead Service Line Replacement Program.

Communicating to the Public About Replacement Material

When addressing the material selected for replacing lead service lines, it is vital to communicate the reasons behind choosing copper for your community clearly and effectively. Transparency in material selection ensures the public understands the benefits and long-term value of this choice.

Share this resource on your lead reduction program landing pages: Why Copper is the Preferred Choice

Why is Copper the Right Choice for Water Service Lines?

  • Longevity and Proven Reliability: Copper has been safely and reliably used in water service lines since the 1930s, with over 50 years of successful usage. It is extensively studied and tested over time to ensure long-term system reliability and safety.
  • Impermeable: Copper service lines are completely impermeable, preventing outside chemicals from contaminating the water system, unlike some plastic pipes that are susceptible to leakage, leaching, and permeation.
  • Safety: Copper is an essential micronutrient and does not leach potentially harmful chemicals into the water it conveys. Plastic pipes, on the other hand, are known to leach volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can affect water quality and potentially cause health effects.
  • Reliability: Copper is highly corrosion-resistant, withstands high pressures and stresses without failure, and is durable and malleable. Conversely, other materials are prone to cracking, rupturing, and leaking under similar conditions.
  • Sustainability: Copper is a sustainable material that can be recycled into another product without loss of its beneficial properties. Its long life cycle and recyclability make it an environmentally friendly choice for water service lines.

Supporting Water Utilities: CDA’s Commitment to Public Health

The Copper Development Association is committed to supporting water utilities by providing comprehensive educational materials on the benefits of using copper. By leveraging our expertise and tools, water utilities can foster greater understanding and acceptance of copper infrastructure, ultimately leading to improved public health and safety.

For more information on how copper can enhance your lead service line replacement program, visit copper.org.

Other State Example Resources (from EPA website)