NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. -- The City of North Myrtle Beach has initiated an inventory of water service lines connecting homes to the public water system to identify the materials used in their construction, as part of the Federal Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Lead and Copper Rule Revision. This effort began earlier this year and will continue through early 2025.
The City of North Myrtle Beach’s drinking water is safe and does not contain lead. Lead is not present in the City’s water sources, nor does it enter the water as it travels through the City’s lead-free distribution system. Lead can only enter drinking water through the corrosion of service lines or plumbing that contain lead—typically in older homes built before 1986, when lead service lines and plumbing fixtures were more common.
To date, the City has inspected and cleared 16,156 customers as having no service line made of lead. For the remaining 1,214 accounts, the materials of the service lines are scheduled for inspection and are currently categorized as "unknown" until the inspection process is completed.
It is important to note that an “unknown” designation does not mean that lead is present in the service line. The City’s water treatment process is designed to reduce the possibility of lead contamination, and the risk of exposure to lead from these service lines remains very low. As the inventory process continues, the City will provide updates on the status of each customer’s service line material. The full inventory is expected to be completed by early 2025.
As part of the EPA's requirements, customers with “unknown” service lines will receive a letter from the City by the postmarked date of November 16, 2024, outlining the findings of the inspection and the next steps.
To help with the inventory process, the City of North Myrtle Beach has created an online service line inventory tool you can use to determine the material making up your service line. Found on our website – www.nmb.us/SLI – this tool provides an easy-to-use process to enable you to determine if you have a lead, galvanized, non-lead, or unknown service line.
The City of North Myrtle Beach remains committed to providing clean, safe drinking water to all residents and will continue to work diligently to complete the service line inventory and address any necessary replacements.
For more information or to ask questions about the inventory process, residents can contact the City’s Public Works Department at (843) 280-5500 or by email at servicelineinspection@nmb.us.