Drinking water is free of lead when it leaves the water treatment plant—however, water can absorb lead if it travels through lead pipes on its way to your faucet. The majority of South Dakota water pipes are free of lead, but we need to find where lead lines still exist so they can be removed. 

 As a part of a nationwide initiative, we are asking everyone to check their pipes and report their results, regardless of what they find. If your home was built after 1987, when the lead ban took effect here in South Dakota, you do not have a lead service line and you may not be asked to provide further information.  However, if your home was built around or before 1987, we are looking to you.  Knowing where the lead lines are is just as important as knowing where they are not.  

 Please take a quick survey to see if your home’s water pipe contains lead.

 You just need five minutes, a coin, a magnet, and a smartphone to test your pipe and help your community.  We encourage you to try out the electronic survey, but a paper copy is available upon request.  Ask your grandkids, a neighbor, or a friend to help.    

 Visit survey.sdwaterpipes.com to take this step-by-step survey to identify and record the material of the water pipe coming into your home.

 You’ll be asked to follow these three simple steps:

1. Scratch the water pipe with a coin or tool to see if the scraped area is silver-colored and shiny.
2. Check to see if a magnet sticks to the pipe—any magnet will do!
3. Report your results at survey.sdwaterpipes.com.  Don’t forget to snap a photo of the pipe, and you’re done.

 Documenting your pipe helps your family, your neighborhood, and your water provider. It’s a simple process that only takes a few minutes, but it can have a huge impact on community health and safety. 

 For more information and to get started on your survey, visit survey.sdwaterpipes.com 

 By providing this information yourself, you are contributing to our efficiency and keeping our costs down.  By donating 5 minutes of your time, you are saving 30-60 minutes that it will take our staff to visit your home to complete the inventory of your water service line. Which, in turn, helps to keep your costs from increasing.  You are making a huge impact!