Service Line Inventory

What is the Service Line Inventory (SLI)?

The City of Bloomington Utilities (CBU) has released its service line inventory in accordance with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM). As part of the lead and copper rule, water utilities are required to submit an inventory of water service line composition for every consumer in the distribution system. The inventory displays up-to-date information about individual service line composition based on utilities records, plumbing code updates, field verifications, and computer learning models. CBU has been working with contractors Arcadis and Blue Conduit to finalize and submit the initial inventory of over 27,000 service connections. In the coming months, CBU will put together a comprehensive plan to finish identifying service line compositions around the city.

Please click here to see the current inventory. 

How it works

CBU is uses several methods to identify what the service line pipe is made of. We are using data from GIS and building plans, historical data such as materials available when the building was constructed, and physically looking at pipes throughout the city.

If we come to your address, we will need a Right of Entry Agreement with the property owner then we will schedule a visit with you. The day of the project, CBU will excavate two small holes -- one on the private side of the water meter and one on the public side of the meter. From these two excavations, CBU will determine the composition of both sides of the line. The holes will be filled, smoothed, and covered in grass seed and straw that same day. This process should take approximately one hour to complete. Owners are not required to be present when the excavations take place.

How you can help

For CBU to conduct the SLI, selected property owners must grant permission so CBU can access the property to excavate, locate, and identify the material of the water service line. Complete the Right of Entry and Hold Harmless agreement found here. Return a signed copy of this agreement via mail or email to CBU. 

If you already know the composition of your water service line from prior plumbing work, please contact CBU using the email or phone number at the bottom of this page to report your findings. This will save CBU time as we will not need to dig on your property.

What happens after

All lead water service lines that CBU identifies will be recorded into an inventory list and incorporated into the comprehensive city-wide lead service line replacement schedule. Details on line replacement will be available in the coming years.