Rhode Island Utility Deploys 'SWORDFISH' to Find Lead Pipes Without Digging

BURRILLVILLE, RI – July 28, 2026 – In the quiet towns of northern Rhode Island, a newly formed utility is pioneering a high-tech solution to one of America’s most persistent public health challenges: lead in drinking water. The Clear River Electric & Water District (CREW), which serves roughly 2,200 water customers, has become the first in the state to adopt Electro Scan Inc.’s SWORDFISH technology, a groundbreaking system designed to identify lead service lines without turning over a single spadeful of earth.

This move places the small district at the forefront of a national effort to locate and replace aging water infrastructure. Backed by one of the country's most stringent lead pipe replacement laws and a creative state funding mechanism, CREW’s initiative offers a compelling model for how small communities can leverage innovation to protect public health, comply with federal mandates, and manage costs.

A State-Level Mandate Meets Local Innovation

The challenge for CREW is significant. Formed on January 1, 2025, through the merger of two smaller local utilities, the district inherited an infrastructure that includes an estimated 1,300 service lines of unknown material. Under Rhode Island’s robust lead pipe replacement program—which mandates the inventory and replacement of all lead service lines, including the private portion on a homeowner's property—simply guessing wasn't an option.

Traditionally, identifying these pipes meant disruptive and costly excavation. Utilities would have to dig “potholes” in residents’ yards, streets, and sidewalks to visually inspect a small section of pipe. This method is slow, expensive, and often incomplete.

“Rather than excavating customers’ front yards to inspect only a few inches of pipe, SWORDFISH evaluates the full buried service line,” stated Brian Black, Water Department Superintendent for CREW. This capability to see the entire line, from the water main to the house, is a game-changer for a small utility with limited resources.

Making this technological leap possible is a $100,000 loan from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), administered by the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank and the Rhode Island Department of Health. Crucially, the loan comes with 100% principal forgiveness, effectively acting as a grant. This financial support removes the primary barrier for smaller districts like CREW, allowing them to adopt best-in-class technology without burdening their ratepayers. It’s a clear example of how targeted state investment can empower local action on critical infrastructure priorities.

The 'SWORDFISH' in the Toolbox: Redefining Detection

At the heart of this initiative is Electro Scan’s SWORDFISH, a technology that stands apart in a market filled with partial solutions. While methods like ground-penetrating radar or acoustic sensors can help locate pipes, they often fall short of definitively identifying the pipe’s material. SWORDFISH utilizes a patented electrical resistance technology that provides a clear, physics-based verdict.

The handheld device works by inserting a small probe into the service line, typically at an outdoor spigot or indoor meter. It sends a low-voltage electrical current through the pipe wall. Since different materials—lead, copper, galvanized steel, and plastic—have distinct electrical resistance properties, the system’s software can automatically and accurately classify the material along the entire length of the service line. This is particularly vital as many service lines are a patchwork of different materials, a detail easily missed by a single pothole inspection.

The technology’s unique capability earned it a significant endorsement from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Research and Development, which in a December 2024 webinar described SWORDFISH as “the only commercially available technology to locate lead drinking water pipe materials, without digging.”

This precision addresses a major flaw in older inventory methods. “Many utilities remain unable to confidently certify service lines as lead-free,” said Mike App, Executive Vice President at Electro Scan Inc. “Utilities relying solely on predictive modeling, limited potholing, or visual inspections of meter boxes and hose bibs may still be unable to confidently certify that an entire service line is lead-free.” By providing a complete and verifiable record, the technology gives utilities like CREW the data they need to comply with regulations and assure customers of their water’s safety.

The Hidden Dangers Downstream

The problem of lead contamination is more complex than just the pipe itself. As water flows through a lead service line, particles can flake off and travel downstream, creating hazards even in homes that have copper or plastic plumbing. This is a critical point often overlooked in replacement strategies that focus only on removing the lead pipe.

“Federal regulations require replacement not only of lead pipe, but also galvanized service lines located downstream of lead service lines because accumulated lead particles can remain trapped inside galvanized pipe,” explained Chuck Hansen, Chairman and Founder of Electro Scan Inc. The rough, corroded interior of older galvanized steel pipes acts like a net, catching lead particles that can be released back into the water unpredictably over time.

Even modern plastic pipes aren't immune. “The challenge begins once lead particles migrate beyond the lead service line and become deposited on downstream copper or plastic plumbing,” Hansen noted, referencing independent university research published in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Pollution. “That’s why simply replacing the lead pipe may not eliminate all potential lead exposure risks.”

This is where a full-line assessment technology becomes indispensable. By identifying every material segment of the service line, SWORDFISH gives utilities a complete picture of the potential risk, enabling a more holistic and effective remediation strategy that protects residents from these hidden, lingering threats.

A National Blueprint for a Nationwide Problem

Clear River’s project is a microcosm of a challenge facing the entire nation. As of July 2026, the EPA’s Water Service Line Dashboard reported a staggering 22.4 million service lines of unknown material across the country. With preliminary inventories due by November 2027 under the EPA's Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, utilities are in a race against time to move from predictive models to verified, real-world data.

The adoption of SWORDFISH by utilities large and small, from the City of Baltimore—where over 9,000 homes have been inspected with the technology—to Dallas Water Utilities and now Clear River, signals a critical shift in the industry. The era of guesswork and disruptive digging is giving way to a more precise, data-driven, and efficient approach to infrastructure management.

By combining Rhode Island’s proactive legislation, the strategic use of state and federal funds, and the deployment of cutting-edge technology, the Clear River Electric & Water District is not just solving a local problem. It is demonstrating a scalable and effective blueprint for how thousands of other communities can finally get the lead out and ensure safe drinking water for generations to come.