Background

Gastonia, North Carolina, home to more than 36,000 service connections, relies on Two Rivers Utilities to provide essential water services. The utility faced a daunting challenge when the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) required submission of a complete Lead Service Line Inventory (LSLI) by 2024. High staff turnover had left them without a dedicated resource for LCRR compliance. The complex nature of the new regulations made it clear they needed more than a quick fix—they needed expert guidance and an experienced partner to guide them through the process.

The Challenge

With the LSLI deadline approaching, the utility was already managing a large Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) meter replacement project, so the absence of a compliance-focused staff member and the task of verifying unknown service lines threatened to overwhelm limited resources. Without a clear plan or in-house experience, Two Rivers Utilities risked missing critical deadlines, falling out of compliance, and disrupting both operational efficiency and public confidence.

The Solution

120Water partnered with Two Rivers Utilities to help verify unknowns, develop their inventory, and provide expert-led support. Working closely with their team, 120Water developed a strategy to meet the 2024 submission deadline while aligning compliance work with their AMI project.

The partnership included hands-on guidance for verifying unknown service lines and streamlining their inventory development operations. By embedding compliance tasks into ongoing projects, 120Water helped the utility improve efficiency, reduce disruption, and build long-term confidence in their compliance programs.

Results and Impact

With 120Water’s guidance, Two Rivers Utilities submitted their LSLI on time, meeting the 2024 federal requirement without delaying other major projects. They established a repeatable process for service line verification, improving both accuracy and speed. Aligning compliance with the AMI schedule allowed the utility to maximize resources, avoid bottlenecks, and ensure a smooth path forward for ongoing LCRR requirements.