Planning and Conducting Lead Service Line Replacement
The most common sources of lead in drinking water are lead pipes, faucets, and fixtures. In homes with lead pipes that connect the home to the water main, also known as lead services lines, these pipes are typically the most significant source of lead in the water. Replacing lead service lines reduces lead exposure by removing this source.
On this page:
- Lead Service Line Replacement Requirements
- Strategies to Achieve Full Lead Service Line Replacement
- Planning for Lead Service Line Replacement
- Lead Service Line Replacement Case Studies
Lead Service Line Replacement Requirements
The Lead and Copper Rule established requirements for water systems to replace lead service lines under certain circumstances. The Lead and Copper Rule Improvements strengthens these requirements and mandates water systems to replace lead and GRR services under their control within 10 years. In addition, states must require systems to replace service lines by an earlier deadline if they determine that it it feasible. The final LCRI provides, in limited, circumstances, additional time for some systems to complete systemwide full service line replacement.
Discouraging Partial Lead Service Line Replacement
The EPA Science Advisory Board report, Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Partial Lead Service Line Replacements, from September 2011, advises against partial lead service line replacement and notes that other pipe materials, including galvanized pipe, can also become compromised if only partially replaced.
Projects funded by the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) Lead Service Line Replacement Funding must replace the entire LSL, not just a portion, unless a portion has already been replaced.
The final LCRI prohibits partial lead and galvanized requiring replacement (GRR) replacements unless they are conducted as part of an emergency repair or in coordination with planned infrastructure work (e.g., water main replacements), excluding planned infrastructure work solely for the purposes of lead or GRR service line replacement.
Find more information on identifying funding options for lead service line replacement here.
Strategies to Achieve Full Lead Service Line Replacement
In 2019, EPA compiled LSLR challenges and best practices. These are being made available to assist states and utilities with the implementation of proactive LSLR programs. The document includes discussions on funding sources, communication, LSLR considerations, and case studies. View EPA’s analysis, Strategies to Achieve Full Lead Service Line Replacement (pdf)
Planning for Lead Service Line Replacement
As required by the 2024 Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI), all water systems with one or more lead, galvanized requiring replacement, or lead status unknown service lines in their distribution system must submit a lead service line replacement plan to the state upon the LCRI compliance date.
Lead Service Line Replacement Case Studies
EPA’s Office of Water hosted a series of quarterly webinars highlighting challenges and successes in lead service line identification and replacement. The webinar series showcased how states and public water systems have successfully identified lead service lines and shared that information with the public to raise awareness about the presence of lead service lines in their communities. Click here to view the 2019 webinars.