FAQs
FAQs
Lead Service Lines
Services lines that connect your home to the Village’s water main. The buffalo box is the valve which is located outside the building or home and is generally in the parkway. By Village code the service line from the building or home to the shut off valve, sometimes called the buffalo box, is the property owner’s responsibility. The service line beyond the buffalo box to the point of connection to the Village’s water main is the responsibility of the Village. The Village also maintains the buffalo box itself. (Diagram below of a typical water service line)
In homes built prior to 1960, the service line was constructed of lead pipe. Between 1960 and 1980 plumbers began using copper rather than lead, but some lead pipes were still installed. All water service lines to homes built after 1980 were constructed of copper. A homeowner can look at the pipe material prior to the water meter to determine the type of pipe used. Lead pipe will have a grey color whereas copper pipe is dark orange in color.
If the water main was replaced on your block, the service line from the water main to the shutoff valve in the parkway may have been replaced with copper pipe. However, the homeowner's portion of the service line, from the house to the shutoff valve, may still consist of a lead material if the home was constructed before 1980 unless a new line was installed as part of remodeling, teardown, or other utility improvement.
Lead Solder
Solder is used to connect metal piping (pictured below). In 1987, lead solder was banned from use in household plumbing. If your house was built before 1987, your plumbing may have lead solder.
Brass Faucets, Valves and Fittings
Almost all faucets, valves and fittings have brass components. Until 2014, brass faucets and fittings sold in the U.S. and labeled "Lead-free" could contain up to 8 % lead. Effective January 2014, The Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act specifies that these materials may not contain more than 0.25% lead.
Services lines that connect your home to the Village’s water main. The buffalo box is the valve which is located outside the building or home and is generally in the parkway. By Village code the service line from the building or home to the shut off valve, sometimes called the buffalo box, is the property owner’s responsibility. The service line beyond the buffalo box to the point of connection to the Village’s water main is the responsibility of the Village. The Village also maintains the buffalo box itself. (Diagram below of a typical water service line)
In homes built prior to 1960, the service line was constructed of lead pipe. Between 1960 and 1980 plumbers began using copper rather than lead, but some lead pipes were still installed. All water service lines to homes built after 1980 were constructed of copper. A homeowner can look at the pipe material prior to the water meter to determine the type of pipe used. Lead pipe will have a grey color whereas copper pipe is dark orange in color.
If the water main was replaced on your block, the service line from the water main to the shutoff valve in the parkway may have been replaced with copper pipe. However, the homeowner's portion of the service line, from the house to the shutoff valve, may still consist of a lead material if the home was constructed before 1980 unless a new line was installed as part of remodeling, teardown, or other utility improvement.
Lead Solder
Solder is used to connect metal piping (pictured below). In 1987, lead solder was banned from use in household plumbing. If your house was built before 1987, your plumbing may have lead solder.
Brass Faucets, Valves and Fittings
Almost all faucets, valves and fittings have brass components. Until 2014, brass faucets and fittings sold in the U.S. and labeled "Lead-free" could contain up to 8 % lead. Effective January 2014, The Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act specifies that these materials may not contain more than 0.25% lead.
Lead can impact almost every organ and system in your body. Exposure to high lead levels can severely impair mental function and damage the kidneys. Pregnant and nursing women and children under the age of six are most vulnerable. Additional information is available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to the USEPA, the most likely exposure to lead is from paint. Intake is usually caused by swallowing lead paint chips or breathing in lead paint dust.
No. Properties in the Village of Arlington Heights have shutoff valves on either side of the meters, replacing the meter will not increase levels of lead in your water supply.
Use only cold water for drinking, cooking and making baby formula as lead is less likely to leach into cold water as opposed to hot or warm water. Similarly, running your water for a few minutes after times of no use such as first thing in the morning, after returning from work or after returning from a vacation is recommended. The goal is to use water that has not been sitting in your pipes for a significant period of time.
A homeowner can look at the pipe material prior to the water meter to determine the type of pipe used. Lead pipe will have a grey color whereas copper pipe is dark orange in color. Another method of knowing is scratching the pipe with a coin. If it is lead, the scratched area will turn bright silver.
No, not if you have access to treated tap water. Lake Michigan is a great source of drinking water and the water undergoes treatment overseen by qualified water plant operators and laboratory personnel. Tap water is highly regulated, and is more sustainable and environmentally friendly than bottled water.
Phosphates have many uses in the treatment of potable (drinking) water. They are primarily used to prevent various minerals such as lead, iron and manganese (which can be found in older forms of piping) from dissolving into the drinking water that is delivered to consumers. This is achieved by the phosphate creating a barrier (lining) on the insides of the pipes that reduces the contact of water with lead pipe.
The Village of Arlington Heights water supply has consistently tested below maximum acceptable lead levels since the Village began sampling for lead under the LCR. Every three years, Public Works personnel sample and test for lead in the Public Water Supply by collecting and analyzing 30 samples throughout the community. Sampling last occurred in 2014 with the 90th percentile level recorded at 2.9 ppb. This amount is lower than the action level of 15.0 ppb. Results from the Village’s water sampling can be viewed in the Arlington Heights Water Quality Report.
Precautionary Boil Order
Each precautionary boil order situation is different, making it impossible to predict how long the boil order will remain in effect. It will not be lifted until testing shows that the water meets public health standards and water samples test clear of coliforms. The Village of Arlington Heights will notify you when the boil order is lifted with a “Green” notice on your door.
There is nothing you can do about the exposure you have already received. If you become ill, contact your healthcare provider. Follow the above recommendations about using your water until you are told the water is safe again.
Disease symptoms may include diarrhea, cramps, nausea and possible jaundice and associated headaches and fatigue. Symptoms may appear as early as a few hours to several days after infection and may last more than two weeks. These symptoms, however, are not just associated with disease causing organisms in drinking water. They may also be caused by a number of other factors. If you are ill with these symptoms, contact your healthcare provider.
Anyone who ingests contaminated water may become ill. Infants, young children, the elderly, and people with severely compromised immune systems are more at risk of illness.
Cleaning the breast area with soap and bottled water or water boiled for 5 minutes and cooled prior to feeding will provide assurance that the child will not ingest contaminants that may be on the skin.
Animals generally are not affected in the same way as people by contaminants in the water. An individual may give their pet bottled water or water that has been boiled for 5 minutes and cooled if they choose. Fish tanks should not be affected.
When the precautionary boil order is lifted, you will receive a GREEN notice from the Village that you may return to normal use of your water service.
The Village of Arlington Heights Health & Human Services Department is responsible for checking area restaurants to confirm that safe practices are being followed. Special procedures are required for them to ensure that food preparation and handling is done in a safe manner. Additional procedures are also required to provide safe dishwashing
Yes, you may continue to use the water to wash clothes. The major concern is consuming the water.
Use bottled water or water that has been boiled for 5 minutes to wash and rinse dishes. Home dishwashers cannot be assured to completely kill organisms that may be in the water.
Yes, it is safe to shower or bathe in the water. The primary concern is that the water not be consumed. Instruct children not to put the water in their mouth when they are bathing. When bathing infants, extra precaution should be taken including the use of bottled water or water that has been boiled for 5 minutes and cooled for use.
It is recomme3neded that bottled water or water boiled for 5 minute should be used for hand washing. When this is not practical, it is recommended that if tap water must be used to wash and rinse, it should be followed up with the use of a hand sanitizer. Consuming unsafe water is the most likely way to become ill. Using extra precautions with hand washing ensures that hands are clean for eating.
During a precautionary boil order, only bottled water or water that has been boiled for 5 minutes should be consumed or used to wash dishes, wash fruits/vegetables, make ice cubes or brush teeth.
A precautionary boil order has been issued by your water system because of water system maintenance needing to be complete. When the water system pressure drops below 20 parts per square inch (psi), there is a possibility that organisms outside the pipe may infiltrate the water system and could cause illness (e.g./ fecal or E. coli bacteria), or technical/physical problems in the water system have significantly increased the possibility of bacterial contamination.
The affected tap water should be brought to a rolling boil for 5 minutes before being used.
It means that there has been an incident that has caused the water system to become susceptible to outside contaminates. As a precautions, the Village is notifying the affected area to take precautions and if possible, not use the water that comes out of the tap for drinking, brushing your teeth, cooking or washing fruits and vegetables. You should use bottled water for these activities.