Water Service Line Potholing 

Project: Using contractors and water department staff to inspect and catalog water service line material using potholing methods. 

Location: Services served by the Meredith Water Department whose service line material has not been confirmed through records review.

Start Date: October 2025

Estimated Completion Date: August 2028

Project Background

Approximately 45% of Meredith's resident population are serviced by the municipal water system. The Meredith Water Department serves its customers through approximately 1200 services or service lines.  

Recent updates to the EPA’s Lead and Copper Rule mandate that all water systems inventory their service lines. A water service line is the underground pipe that delivers water from the main supply, usually found in the street, to your home. These lines can be constructed using lead, copper, galvanized steel, iron, or plastic.

In 2024, the Meredith Water Department submitted our preliminary Lead Service Line Inventory to NHDES.  We received a grant to get the assistance of a consultant to complete an initial inventory of our service lines. From our records, we were able to identify several service lines as non-lead plastic or copper.  For the majority of our services, we have no record of the material.   

In October 2025, we will begin the field work to identify the material of the approximately 1000 service lines that are listed as unknown in the preliminary inventory. This will be done by potholing, using a vac truck to dig down to the service lines to see what the material is whether it be galvanized, lead, plastic or copper.   In some cases, we may need the use of a backhoe to remove items, such as large rocks, that a vac truck cannot pick up. The field information will be used to update the inventory.  When this field work is complete, we will then know where replacements need to take place.

What Can Customers Expect?

Communication:

• Customers within the initial inventory group will receive mailed letters explaining the need for potholing and what to expect. 
• An effort to place door hangers at service addresses 1-2 days prior to the start of potholing will also be made. 

Utility Locates (1 to 5 days before potholing):

• Utility lines will be marked with paint or flags. Please do not remove these markers. They will fade over time after the potholing is completed.

Street Parking (24+ hours before potholing):

• Crews may place signage reducing or limiting street parking 24+ hours in advance of potholing work to reserve space needed for equipment access. 

Potholing Activities:

• Crews will use machinery to dig small holes in the yard to inspect the material of the water line. This will take about two hours, and the area will be restored afterward. 

Community Benefits

This effort is part of a statewide lead reduction initiative to reduce lead service lines.  

The Meredith Water Department continues to optimize and maintain its corrosion control program.   Through this program the water department keeps the lead and copper concentrations in the drinking water below the action levels set by EPA.

Funding

Most of this project is supported by a State Revolving Fund loan with 66% principal forgiveness.  And some of this project is supported by a grant and the water operations budget that comes from the rates, charges and fees charged to water service customers. 

Questions or concerns?

If you have any questions or concerns about this project, please call us at 603-279-3046 or email water@meredithnh.gov.