Lead Service Line Inventory
FUD staff performed a thorough review of utility records including the GIS database, historical paper (scanned) documents, and institutional/local knowledge. All FUD water service connections may also have a recorded installation date associated with available historical billing information. This information may be documented in GIS or extracted from customer records of historical service data. The following sources were utilized to populate the installation date for all FUD water service connections.
FUD’s GIS database holds key information such as the date installed, size of pipe, and material used for all of our assets. These attributes have been populated by various projects to digitize pipe information seen in the field as well as record drawings. As repairs are made on pipes in the district, the GIS data is reviewed to ensure that the most accurate information available is reflected in mapping. Within recent history all pipe materials are recorded by the onsite inspector at the time of installation. Water service connections adjacent to pipes (both active and abandoned) whose installation date was before 1989 are considered Pre ’88. Excepted from these Pre ’88 services are those with FUD recorded service installation dates.
In addition to feature attributes in GIS, historical mapping was reviewed to identify areas that had access to FUD water in 1988. Campbell Wallace Consulting Engineers in Knoxville Tennessee was used almost exclusively for all engineering projects from FUD’s initial conceptual layout through the late 1990’s. This work included periodical, and sometimes annual, Water System Improvement/Extension projects. These projects included the provision of an updated water system map.
The Knoxville Knox County KUB Geographic Information System (KGIS) was established in 1985 as a multi-agency repository of mapping and information. FUD’s parcel data (as well as other base mapping features) is maintained and provided by KGIS. KGIS has a “Build Date” that relates to the initial known construction date for parcels. FUD compared KGIS “Build Date to the FUD 1989 system map to identify parcel addresses whose initial construction or development predated the geographical availability of FUD water service. These water service connections are assumed not to be Pre ’88.
Using the information above, areas were identified in which physical inspections were required. Individual subdivisions or service areas were assigned to FUD field staff to field identify both the FUD and customer side service pipe materials. Individual addresses were not provided to the field staff, but rather they were instructed to field verify approximately 10% of services in each area. This flexibility greatly reduced the need to excavate services, which reduced the risk of damage and service interruption. Field staff were permitted to locate meter boxes with exposed service piping with the caveat that a representative sampling (including multiple streets) of the area be verified.
NO LEAD OR GALVANIZED NEEDING REPLACEMENT WAS FOUND. The result of these inspections, along with conversations with local plumbing companies, long-term employees, as well as retired FUD staff, allows FUD to say with a high degree of confidence that no lead is present within its boundaries. FUD feels that its evidence-based approach and statistically significant data proves that no lead is present within the water distribution system.
The following link lists all the service lines within FUD’s boundaries: https://www.fudknox.org/wp-content/uploads/FUD-service-inventory.pdf