Lehigh County Authority Chief Executive Officer Liesel M. Gross presented the Lehigh County Board of Commissioners with a report on the quality of the county’s drinking water at the April 13 board meeting.

According to Gross, LCA has roughly 600 miles of water main.

“None of them are made of lead,” she said.

The suburban division, consisting of Upper and Lower Macungie townships, has no lead service lines, Gross added.

“That’s primarily because of the age [newer] of the lines,” she said..

However, the City of Allentown, Gross told the board, may have as many as 15,000 lead service lines.

Lead enters the water supply through lead plumbing and lead service lines.

“It’s not naturally present in the water,” Gross said. “Water is not naturally corrosive in nature.”

Water containing lead levels above the Environmental Protection Agency’s action level of 15 parts per billion triggers remediation measures to reduce the risk of lead exposure in the water.

“We don’t have that situation here,” Gross said. “So, that’s very good.”

Gross also told the board the water in the county is “of exceptional quality,” due in large part to high levels calcium and magnesium. Calcium, for instance, creates a buildup in the pipes, helping to prevent lead from leaching into the water supply.

Lehigh County Commissioner Michael Schware asked Gross if LCA tests water upon a customer’s request.

“We would not test the water, but we would direct them and help them coordinate with one of the certified labs to do that,” she said.

Tests cost about $4 per home.

“I’m wondering if it wouldn’t be something LCA would want to consider,” Schware said, “maybe testing upon request because it would give you a better sample.”

Gross said LCA tests about 50 homes every three years for lead in Allentown and additional homes outside of the city.

“I think we would want to be at the forefront of this and do everything we can do,” Schware added.

The LCA will take Schware’s recommendation under advisement to offer free testing of water upon a customer’s request.