The Braintree Water Department is taking steps to comply with EPA’s new Lead and Copper Rule Revisions. To support this compliance, we have hired an engineering firm, Environmental Partners/Apex, to review our system records and identify lead or galvanized water services. If your property has been identified as having a lead or galvanized water service, you will receive a letter from us that includes steps you can take to reduce your risks of lead exposure. If we have been unsuccessful in identifying your service line material based on our records review, we will send you a letter requesting your assistance in determining your water service material. If you do not receive a letter, you should assume you do not have a lead or galvanized service, and no action is required. Letters will be sent out by November 15, 2024. 

Over the next several years we will be making a concentrated effort to remove all lead and galvanized water services from the system and classify all unknown services. More information will be released on this program when available.

Use this map to identify the water service material to your residence. Please click the link below to access the map.

https://apexmapping.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/sidebar/index.html?appid=8db2bf07fe6b43288da6a5c5645c5414

Thank you for your continued support of the Braintree Water Department. 

Background and Overview:

The Lead and Copper Rule was put into effect in 1995 to ensure that lead and copper levels were below a specific amount as determined by the EPA and Massachusetts DEP. The Town of Braintree put together a list of 60 sample sites that were approved by the state and conducted an initial round of sampling. The levels of lead had exceeded the maximum contaminant level of 0.015 mg/l and as a result the Town began treatment for Corrosion Control. 

This consisted of pH adjustment with potassium/sodium hydroxide and an ortho/poly blended phosphate. The addition of potassium/sodium hydroxide raises the pH to a range of 7.4 - 7.8 which ensures that the water is not acidic and therefore will not corrode any pipes, fixtures, or solder which may contain lead. The ortho/poly blended phosphate forms a protective coating on the inside of the pipe which stops the water from reacting the metals, preventing lead from leeching into the water. 

After 6 months of treatment the Town took samples every year for 3 years and it was proven successful in preventing the lead and copper from being problematic in the drinking water. The State then granted the Town with a reduced sampling plan that consisted of 30 sample sites to be tested evert 3 years. We also sample 2 schools per sampling round however, the Braintree School Department tests for lead on a yearly basis. 

With the new regulations for PFAS in the drinking water, the Town had to change the filter media from a mixed media to a Granulated Activated Carbon, in order to comply with the new drinking water standard. Due to this change, we had to go back and test 60 samples twice per year for lead and copper to ensure that the new filter media did not interfere with our corrosion control program. After 2 years we have been reduced to 30 samples per year and just completed the sampling for the third quarter this period. We are hoping that if everything is satisfactory, we will then be able to get back to 30 samples every 3 years as we were in the past. 

To date, the Town remains in compliance with the lead and copper rule and with the building of the new Tri-Town Water Treatment Facility, this state of the art plant will continue to keep the Town of Braintree in compliance for years to come.