Press Release:
Village of Oakfield Department of Public Works is asking residents of both the Village and Town of Oakfield to provide information on their drinking water service lines. If you have already responded to this survey, please disregard this notice.
As part of the new regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lead and copper rule revision, the Village of Oakfield DPW is required to collect an inventory from their water customers with details on the material that their water service lines are made of.
This is where members of the public can support this important public health work by responding promptly to our survey.
The DPW has provided information on how their residents can do a “Scratch Test” on their service line to determine the material.
How to Determine Service Line Material:
All you need is a screwdriver and a magnet.
Conducting a SCRATCH TEST
- Find the water service line in your home, this will be a pipe entering your home and attached before the water meter.
- Use the flat side of a screwdriver to scratch the surface of the service line.
4 Type of Materials
- COPPER- if surface area is shiny or copper color (like a penny). Magnet will NOT stick.
- GALVANIZED STEEL - if scratched, area remains a dull gray (very hard and not easily scratched). Magnet WILL stick.
- PLASTIC- typically black or blue, the scratched surface remains the same color as the pipe itself. Magnet will NOT stick.
- LEAD - if the scratched area is shiny and silver. Lead pipes are softer and easier to scratch than Copper or Galvanized Steel. Magnet will NOT stick.
Residents of the Village and Town of Oakfield can respond with their results in multiple ways:
- Go to the Village’s website https://oakfield.govoffice.com and complete the online survey under WATER LINE SURVEY
- Complete the Survey form found in your July newsletters, and return to the Village Office, 37 Main St., Oakfield.
- Call the Village office, (585) 948-5862 with the information or to set up an appointment for our DPW to come to your home and check the line for you.
It’s that easy.
The EPA is requiring responses in October. The Village DPW is hopeful that our residents can respond timely, and we can wrap this up by September.
The DPW may leave a reminder card with those residents that do not respond by July.
Inspections by the DPW can also be scheduled.
“This is a requirement under the EPA, we are only asking for water service line information. This is the line that runs from the main water line in the street to your home. We really want to make this as simple as possible for our residents to respond. We are here to help.” DPW Supervisor Mikolajczyk said.
“We really thank the residents for responding quickly and helping with this momentous task. We have been monitoring and attending several informational meetings on what actions will be taken pending the results of this inventory survey.”
