By: Ryan Duey

The city of Abilene is urging over 1,000 property owners to complete a two-page survey about their water lines, offering $10 off their next water bill as an incentive. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires cities nationwide to collect information on lead and copper water lines.

The EPA’s long-term goal is to remove all lead and copper lines to reduce health risks. While no penalties have been announced for cities failing to submit enough surveys, Abilene hopes to collect sufficient responses to secure funding for lead line replacements. Surveys are due by October 16th, and can be submitted online or at City Hall.

Lead exposure, especially harmful to children, can cause brain damage and other health issues, while copper pipes with lead solder also pose risks.

The city will send the completed surveys to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, which will forward them to the EPA for review.