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All 14,000 South Blount County Utility District customers are being warned about possible lead in their water, but the problem remains confined to homes built before 1986.

Meanwhile, the utility district has implemented changes recommended by a Virginia Tech expert to help alleviate corrosion problems that have caused elevated lead levels in water held overnight in pipes in these older homes.

Only 12 out of 60 homes tested at the end of June had lead levels higher than the allowable EPA standard of 0.015 parts per billion. This is a drop from a 2006 test where water collected at 21 out of the 60 homes registered higher than allowed levels.

"We're getting toward the end of it," District Manager Henry Durant said. "We're getting better every time (we test). ...

"We did have some studies done by (Professor) Mark Edwards at Virginia Tech, who did some tests to try to find the optimum corrosion inhibitor to go in (to the water supply). We changed that in the middle of June, which doesn't affect this test. We're hoping in December, if what the professor says is correct, we should be in compliance."

The elevated levels are not found in water from utility's treatment plant. The problem is caused by corrosion of lead-rich pipes and solder found in older homes. Still, federal law requires the utility notify all 14,000 customers about the lead problem.

"It's in the pipes in the houses," Durant said. "Basically as the water sits in the pipes, there is some corrosion of the lead. It's either in the pipes or in the faucets."

Tisha Calabrese-Benton, communications director for the Tennessee Department of Conservation, said the utility district is working on solving the problem.

"It is improving," she said. "They are still not in total compliance so that public notice will continue until they reach compliance. This is not an issue with the finished water. This is about how the water reacts with certain plumbing. It's not anything the matter with water leaving the plant."

Most of the homes that tested too high for lead content were built before 1986. Many homes were built with copper plumbing and pipes -- using lead solder -- before the federal government banned them in 1986. South Blount, which does not have any lead service lines, will continue sampling 60 homes every quarter until it comes back into compliance with the 15-ppb maximum. The utility is also required to notify its customers of the test findings.