Mayor James Gatz discusses the need for town-wide participation in the Corporation of Shepherdstown's survey, on Tuesday night in Town Hall. Tabitha Johnston

SHEPHERDSTOWN — Over the next couple of weeks, the Corporation of Shepherdstown will be busy reaching out to local residents, requesting for them to complete a survey regarding the material used in their water pipes.

The survey was sent out to town residents last year, according to Mayor James Gatz. Unfortunately, nowhere near enough people filled out the survey, leaving the town now scrambling for enough responses by the federal government’s deadline next month.

“The Lead and Copper Service Line Inventory Survey may sound boring, but it is really important,” Gatz said. “There’s a nationwide effort, all across the country, to protect people from lead poisoning.”

Many homes, especially in those built before 1978, have water pipes that are made of lead or, at the very least, have been contaminated with some lead. This is believed to be the main way that lead poisoning occurs in the modern day.

In 2022, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released guidelines in conjunction with its previously developed Lead and Copper Rule Revisions, which made the requirement for municipalities to collect information on the water pipe materials used in residential buildings, to be collated and submitted by Oct. 16, 2024. The results from this investigation will likely be of use, to prevent lead poisoning incidents.

People of all ages can be hurt by lead poisoning, although Gatz noted that children are most severely harmed by it. According to research by the World Health Organization, lead poisoning can cause “profound and permanent adverse health impacts, particularly on the development of the brain and nervous system” in young children. Lead poisoning can cause a number of serious health issues in adults, as well, including: high blood pressure; joint and muscle pain; difficulties with memory or concentration; headaches; abdominal pain; reduced sperm count and abnormal sperm; mood disorders; and miscarriage, stillbirth or premature birth in pregnant women.

“The danger of lead poisoning is not something new,” Gatz said. “We’ve known about this. We know what happens. We connect it with water issues.”

When the survey was sent out last year, only half of the Corporation of Shepherdstown’s residents responded, according to Gatz.

“About 50 percent of the residents in our town still need to do this. It’s really not something that you can just say, ‘Sorry, I can’t!’ because the EPA is requiring it,” Gatz said. “It’ll be a big challenge for our water system if we don’t get close to 100 percent by the first of October. The town is going to help, by making sure people know about this and making sure people know how to look in their basements and determine what kind of pipes they have, as well as how to fill out the survey and get it back to us.”

Those interested in helping with this project are encouraged to reach out to Town Hall, by calling 304-876-2312 or by stopping by at 104 North King Street during business hours.