New Hope is taking steps to ensure the safety of our community by reducing lead exposure in the water system. As per the regulations of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under its Lead and Copper Rule, municipalities are required to conduct an inventory of residential water service lines to minimize the presence of lead in the water system. As part of the new federal requirements, the City of New Hope is compiling an inventory of each water service line in the city to determine the pipe’s composition and to see if it is lead, galvanized steel, non-lead or unknown.

PLEASE NOTE: The drinking water provided to New Hope residents does not contain lead.

What is a service line?
A service line is the pipe that connects the water main on your street to your property and the piping inside of your home. Property owners are responsible for maintaining water service lines from the main into the home. If your service pipe is identified as lead or galvanized steel, it will eventually need to be replaced.

Why is lead a problem?
Lead is a hazardous substance that can cause harm to almost every organ and system in the body. Children and infants are at a higher risk of lead exposure, and even a small amount of lead can have a significant impact on them.

How does lead get into drinking water?
Lead can enter drinking water when pipes, plumbing fixtures and lead-based solder corrode. These materials were commonly used before 1986.

What is the inventory?
The City is inventorying all water service lines in New Hope using tools such as historic records, visual identification and documentation from replacement projects. The completed inventory was submitted to the Minnesota Department of Health in October 2024.

Lead Inventory Tracking Tool (LITT)

The City of New Hope has completed and submitted our service line materials inventory to the Minnesota Department of Health. The service line inventory is publicly available, and you can check the materials for your service line by visiting the Lead Inventory Tracking Tool (LITT) at https://maps.umn.edu/LSL/. You may also contact Matt Rowedder, Utilities Supervisor, at 763-592-6777.

To complete the service line inventory of our system, the City reviewed records/plans, identified materials when replacing meters, or received information from property owners who completed an online city survey. As of Aug. 30, 2024 our inventory contains zero lead service lines, eight galvanized service lines requiring replacement, 2,902 service lines of unknown material and 2,667 non-lead service lines.