OLEAN — Crews will be coming to East Olean properties next week to check for lead water service lines.

Four survey teams including workers from contractor General Dynamics Information and Technology and a city employee will be visiting homes in East Olean from Tuesday through Friday, asking to come in and check to see what kind of service line material feeds into the water meter.

“The City Of Olean, as required by state and federal law, is working on a plan to replace all lead service lines as soon as possible and not later than 2037. The inventory will allow the City to properly fund this endeavor and apply for grants,” said Mayor Bill Aiello. “We appreciate the help of our residents as we continue this project.”

The visits are expected to take three to five minutes each, and contractors will only ask to inspect the water service line at the point where it enters the home — typically in a basement or utility closet. If residents are not at home, a notice will be left on the door, allowing residents to reschedule at their convenience.

Lead service lines were common into the 1980s, which represents the bulk of homes in the region. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that half of Cattaraugus County homes were built before 1960 — while in Olean more than half of homes date from before 1940, when lead lines were even more common.

The state Department of Health reports that identifying the water service line material is relatively straightforward, with a screwdriver and a strong magnet used to identify the line.

After identifying the line, scratch the line between the meter and the outside of the house with the screwdriver. If the metal appears to be copper-colored, it is copper. Galvanized steel pipes are a dull grey color that is difficult to scratch and a strong magnet will stick to it. An easily-scratched pipe showing a shiny, silver material that does not attract a magnet is made of lead.

City officials estimated that up to 75% of service lines could contain lead based on previous replacement work — meaning as many as 5,000 lines may need to be replaced, at costs in the thousands of dollars for each one. The municipal water trade magazine WaterWorld estimated in 2024 that the average cost at about $5,000 per line, which would add up to $25 million across the city if 5,000 service lines need to be replaced.

And the city is not alone. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, an estimated 9.2 million lead service lines are believed to be in use.

Noting the potential for neurological problems in children, the White House announced an initiative in 2021 to have all lead service lines replaced, culminating in an EPA rule issued in October 2024 demanding lead service lines be removed from service by 2037. The federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act of 2021 allocated $129 million to the state of New York for lead water line replacement funds through the state’s existing Drinking Water State Revolving Fund.

Residents with questions are encouraged to contact the mayor’s office at (716) 376-5615 or the Water and Sewer Superintendent Brad Camp at (716) 376-5659.