JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD

Pierce, Washington

In September of 2020, American Water was awarded a 50-year contract to privatize the water and wastewater utilities at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) in Washington state. JBLM is the DoD’s premiere military installation on the West Coast. JBLM was formed in 2010 after the consolidation of Fort Lewis and McChord Air Force Base. It is a joint force power projection platform for the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines. JBLM is home to the Army's I Corps and the Air Force's 62nd Airlift Wing, as well as several reserve components. The joint base has a population of approximately 110,000 people including, 40,000 active duty, 60,000 family members and 15,000 civilian and contract employees.

American Water will provide water treatment, storage, and distribution across JBLM. As a whole, the water system includes approximately 1.67 million linear feet of water pipe, 1,957 hydrants, 9,138 valves, 21 wells, and 28 tanks. The wastewater collection system includes a wastewater treatment plant and approximately 1.2 million linear feet of pipe, 3,120 manholes, and 99 lift stations.

Lead Inventory Status Update to the Community at Joint Base Lewis-McChord

American Water’s Military Services Group takes water quality and the safety of the people and communities we serve very seriously. Providing safe, clean, reliable water to military service members and their families is our top priority. American Water’s Military Services Group at Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM) completed an initial inventory of service lines to comply with the new Lead and Copper Rule Revisions under the Environmental Protection Agency and Washington State Department of Health Regulations. These revisions required among other items, that all community and non-transient non-community waterworks compile a list of all known service lines and create an inventory to provide to the state by October 16th, 2024. Of particular interest are service lines that are known as lead or galvanized requiring replacement, or unknown service line material. These classifications may require further action by the waterworks.

American Water’s Military Services Group at JBLM – McChord Field has completed its initial inventory and has found no service lines that are currently known as lead, galvanized requiring replacement, or unknown status.

An extensive review was completed by American Water to make this current determination. Methods including a review of all water systems records included:

Distribution system maps and drawings
Historical records on service connections installation records
Historical capital improvement plans
Previous materiel evaluations
Records conducted during the course of routine operations or capital improvement indicating materiel
Field inspections
Disqualification of the likelihood of lead based on construction records indicating date and or the size of the service lines.

American Water also initiated a good faith effort to field verify a portion of service lines against historical records, including lead card testing. This effort further validated historical records and that there are currently no known lead lines, galvanized requiring replacement, or unknown. American Water worked with partners on post such as the JBLM Directorate of Public Works and JBLM Privatized Housing in completing these verifications.

If you have any questions about the status of your service line or its material, the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions, or about the impact or health effects of lead, please visit us at our office or call us at 253-366-9122.

You can also find our annual water quality reports online at:
https://www.amwater.com/ccr/jblmmcchordfield
https://www.amwater.com/ccr/jblmlewis.pdf