Service Line Material Notice

SERVICE LINE MATERIAL NOTICE – UNKNOWN MATERIAL

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR DRINKING WATER SERVICE LINE

Public Water System: Chatham Park
PWSID: 1180028
Date: 11/14/25

Dear Resident,

Chatham Park is required by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to inform customers about the material of their drinking water service line.

Based on our most recent service line inventory, the material of the service line serving your home is currently classified as UNKNOWN. This means that records are incomplete or unavailable, and we have not yet been able to confirm whether the service line is made of lead, galvanized metal, or another approved material.

What Does This Mean?

At this time:

We do not have evidence that your service line contains lead
We also cannot confirm that it does not contain lead

Because of this uncertainty, MDH requires us to notify you and provide information about potential health considerations.

Health Information

Health Effects of Lead (This information cannot be modified at all) “There is no safe level of lead in drinking water. Exposure to lead in drinking water can cause serious health effects in all age groups, especially pregnant people, infants (both formula-fed and breastfed), and young children. Some of the health effects to infants and children include decreases in IQ and attention span. Lead exposure can also result in new or worsened learning and behavior problems. The children of persons who are exposed to lead before or during pregnancy may be at increased risk of these harmful health effects. Adults have increased risks of heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney or nervous system problems. Contact your health care provider for more information about your risks.”

Steps to reduce lead in your drinking water (modifiable but recommended to include all):

Below are recommended actions that you may take, separately or in combination, if you are concerned about lead in your drinking water. The list also includes links where you may find more information and is not intended to be a complete list or to imply that all actions equally reduce lead in drinking water.

Use a filter. Using a filter can reduce lead in drinking water. If you use a filter, it should be certified to remove lead Look for filters that are tested and certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 53 for lead reduction and NSF/ANSI Standard 42 for particulate reduction (Class I). Read the directions provided with the filter to learn how to properly install, maintain, and use your cartridge and when to replace it. Using the cartridge after it has expired can make it less effective at removing lead. Do not run hot water through the filter. For more information on facts and advice on home water filtration systems, visit EPA’s website at Consumer tool for identifying point-of-use and pitcher filters certified to reduce lead in drinking water (https://www.epa.gov/water-research/consumer-tool-identifying-point-use-and-pitcher-filters-certified-reduce-lead).

Clean your aerator. Regularly remove and clean your faucet’s screen (also known as an aerator). Sediment, debris, and lead particles can collect in your aerator and be released into your water.

Use cold water. Do not use hot water from the tap for drinking, cooking, or making baby formula as lead dissolves more easily into hot water. Boiling water does not remove lead from water.

Run your water. The more time water has been sitting in pipes providing water to your home, the more lead it may contain. Before drinking, flush your home’s pipes by running the tap, taking a shower, doing laundry, or doing a load of dishes. The amount of time to run the water will depend on whether your home has a lead service line or not, as well as the length and diameter of the service line and the amount of plumbing in your home. Residents may reach out to the contact information listed above for recommendations about flushing times in their community.

Learn about construction in your neighborhood. Construction may cause more lead to be released from a lead service line. Residents may reach out to the contact information listed above to find out about any construction or maintenance work that could disturb your service line.

Have your water tested. Residents may reach out to the contact information listed above to learn more about lead testing and the lead levels in your drinking water. Alternatively, you can contact a Minnesota Department of Health accredited laboratory (https://eldo.web.health.state.mn.us/public/accreditedlabs/labsearch.seam) to purchase a sample container and instructions on how to submit a sample. Note, a water sample may not adequately capture or represent all sources of lead that may be present. For information on sources of lead that include service lines and interior plumbing, please visit How lead gets into drinking water (https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/basic-information-about-lead-drinking-water#getinto). If a test shows your water has high levels of lead after you let the water run. You can learn more about water treatment options at Home Water Treatment (https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/water/factsheet/hometreatment.html).

Information on identifying service lines (modifiable but recommended):

Identifying service line material

To help determine if the pipe that connects your home to the water main (called a service line) is made from lead, galvanized, or other materials, residents may reach out to the contact information listed above or a licensed plumber. EPA has developed an online step-by-step guide to help people identify lead pipes in their homes called Protect Your Tap: A Quick Check for Lead (https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/protect-your-tap-quick-check-lead). Alternatively, you can also follow this link: Protect Your Tap: A quick check for lead (https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/protect-your-tap-quick-check-lead-0) to find lead pipes in your home.

Replacing lead service lines or galvanized requiring replacement service lines when found

Our system will work to identity unknown lines in the future. You would be contacted when work will commence in your neighborhood. If a lead service line or a galvanized line requiring replacement (GRR) is found, Minnesota has a program for funding the replacement of lead service lines or galvanized requiring replacement service lines when found. Individual homeowners are not eligible to apply directly to the state for this funding. Our water system may apply to this funding program in the future.

Ownership of a service line is often split between the customer and water system. Our public water system is required to replace the system owned portion of the lead or GRR service line when a property owner notifies us that they are replacing their portion. If the property owner replaces their portion of the service line without coordinating with their water system, the property owner may be responsible for all costs related to the replacement of the privately owned portion of the service line.

Lead can cause serious health effects, especially for infants, young children, and pregnant individuals. Exposure to lead in drinking water can occur if lead is present in service lines or plumbing materials.

If you are concerned about potential lead exposure, you may consider:

Running your tap for 1–2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking
Using cold water for drinking, cooking, and preparing infant formula
Having your water tested for lead by a certified laboratory

For more information about lead in drinking water, visit:
👉 https://www.health.state.mn.us/lead

What Is Chatham Park Doing?

Chatham Park has completed a service line inventory as required by MDH and will:

Update service line material records as additional information becomes available
Notify residents if the service line classification changes
Continue complying with all state and federal drinking water requirements

Questions or Requests

If you would like more information, assistance, or to request a paper copy of this notice, please contact:

Chatham Park Management
Email: hello@chathamcrosslake.com

Sincerely,
Bob Bonner
Manager / Operator
Chatham Park