Lead Plumbing & Water Quality FAQ

Yes, your water remains safe to drink.

We treat drinking water to reduce corrosion (corrosion can allow lead from plumbing to dissolve into water). We routinely test for lead at customer taps throughout Philadelphia, including at homes with lead service lines. These tests show that our treatment is protecting drinking water from the effects of plumbing corrosion.

While our treatment is proven to be effective, there are additional steps you can take to reduce the risk of lead from plumbing. The easiest and most cost-effective solution is to flush your pipes with fresh water whenever it hasn’t been used for 6 hours or more. Flushing means running cold water for 3-5 minutes. Learn more about flushing your pipes →

If lead is found in water samples, it’s coming from the property’s plumbing – not from water sources.

Lead can be hidden in older plumbing, including:

• Pipes
• Faucets
• Plumbing fixtures
• Solder and pipe fittings

Even some plumbing equipment previously labeled “lead-free” could still contain small amounts of lead.

It’s important to look at all sources throughout your environment to prevent lead exposure. In a property, peeling paint and lead dust are the most common sources of exposure. Other sources may include soil, toys, glasses, dishware, jewelry, and other products. Reducing exposure to lead can improve health outcomes, especially for children.

Over time, exposure to lead can cause serious health effects in all age groups. Infants and children can have decreases in IQ and attention span. Lead exposure can lead to new learning and behavior problems or exacerbate existing learning and behavior problems. The children of women who are exposed to lead before or during pregnancy can have an increased risk of these adverse health effects. Adults can have increased risks of heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney, or nervous system problems.

Philadelphia’s Department of Public Health recommends a blood test for lead for all children ages 1–6.

A service line is the pipe that carries clean water into a property from one of the City’s water mains. The service line is a part of a property’s plumbing – even though it’s underground.

The property owner owns the entire service line. Residential service lines do not belong to the City.

We need two points of information along the pipe to categorize a service line.

1. Material between the main and the curb stop
2. Material between the curb stop and the meter

• Lead was used in the past because it is soft and can be bent. Lead service line installation decreased after the 1950s. Some older homes may have a lead service line.
• Galvanized metal pipes can corrode. Over decades, any lead from a property’s plumbing can accumulate on the corroded walls of galvanized pipes. Some older homes may have a galvanized metal line.
• (Non-lead) Plastic is typically a less expensive option. It is not associated with an increased risk of lead. Newer lines are typically non-lead.
• (Non-lead) Copper is used in most service line replacements. Copper service lines are considered safe because they are not associated with increased health risks. Newer lines are typically non-lead.
• Incomplete records: We have “incomplete records” for the buried sections of service lines at hundreds of thousands of properties across Philadelphia. If the overall category for your service line is incomplete, you should act as though it may contain lead. This guidance is a precaution for your health and safety. Note: Previously, we referred to these service lines as “unknown.”

In some cases, a section of the line was replaced in the property’s history. The remaining section could have been left intact. This is called a partial service line replacement. For this reason, we’re required to identify the material at two points in different sections in order to categorize an overall service line material.

Visit the Service Line Material Map and enter your address into the map search bar. The related box for your property will display details about your property.

You can find the instructions for checking your service line from the curb stop to the meter, including a video, on the Checking your Service Line page. Please use the form on that page to let us know the results.

First, check to see if your material has an incomplete record between the curb stop and meter. If it is, you can check the material and report it back to us. Reporting this point of information will help update our records. Learn how to check your service line and report what you find →

If the line at the meter is lead, you are eligible for a zero-interest loan through the Homeowner’s Emergency Loan Program (HELP).

If the buried section of the service line has an incomplete record, checking the material would require hiring a private plumber. However, PWD does not recommend checking buried portions.

Learn more about what to do if you have a service line with “Incomplete Records” →

Regardless of the material, the next steps will be the same. Flushing your pipes before getting water for drinking or cooking is the best way to ensure you have fresh, high-quality water, from our mains, rather than water that has been sitting in your pipes, and is recommended for all homes after water hasn’t been used for a few hours, no matter what materials your service line and other plumbing contains. Filtering can also help reduce lead in water.

Testing shows our corrosion control is effective at limiting the lead that can get into your water from plumbing, even in homes with lead service lines, so your water is still safe to drink.

Replacement is necessary only for lead or galvanized service lines. Customers do not need to invest in this plumbing work immediately. PWD plans to investigate service lines with incomplete records, but it is going to take us time to get there. The department is exploring new technologies to determine the material of the buried portion of these lines in cost-effective and minimally disruptive ways.

PWD doesn’t currently offer to check buried service line materials at all properties. This is because the service line is considered part of the property. It belongs to the house – not the city. Digging up properties across the city would be costly and disruptive for the city.

However, we are exploring ways to identify the service line materials in a cost-effective and minimally disruptive way. Some properties across the city have been randomly selected for a piloted Service Line Verification program.

Additionally, we record service line materials through many of our routine operations and update our records as we receive that information. Our goal is to reduce the number of service lines categorized an “incomplete record” over the coming years.

Our advice for houses with an incomplete record of the service line material: Flush your pipes. Flushing is shown through scientific tests to reduce the chances of exposure to lead from your property. Even if you dig to determine this material, the actions would still be the same: flush, use a filter, or replace your line.

You can hire a licensed plumber to determine your pipe material. A licensed and insured plumber can give you an estimate to replace a lead service line and other potential sources of lead in plumbing. See a list of licensed contractors at phila.gov/li.

Please note: Any work through a private plumber is at the customer’s expense.

You can hire a licensed plumber to determine your pipe material. A licensed and insured plumber can give you an estimate to replace a lead service line and other potential sources of lead in plumbing. See a list of licensed contractors at phila.gov/li.

Please note: Any work through a private plumber is at the customer’s expense.

If the pipe is made of lead, you have options for digging up and replacing your service line.
Learn more about replacing a lead service line →

The majority of service lines are currently categorized as having an “incomplete record.” PWD recently checked materials at meters across the city as part of meter upgrade work. Even with this new information, we can’t categorize a line as “non-lead” without records for buried portions. Digging up most of the city’s streets and sidewalks to check the buried section is costly and disruptive. PWD has been testing emerging technologies to help categorize more service lines. PWD’s goal is to reduce the number of incomplete records over time.  

While we do not have enough information to fully classify most service lines as “non-lead,” that does not mean that we don’t know anything about these lines. We have hundreds of thousands of material records for properties throughout the city. The rate at which we find lead service lines through our various record sources continues to support an estimated total of 20,000-25,000 lead service lines. This amounts to approximately 5% of all service lines in the City of Philadelphia.

Recommendations are based on the way service lines are categorized. For lead, galvanized, or properties with an incomplete service line record, we recommend the following:

Flushing

Residents can get rid of water sitting in plumbing by flushing their pipes. “Flushing” means running cold fast water from a tap.

Instructions:

1. Turn on your cold tap. Open it all the way.

2. Run cold water from the faucet for 3–5 minutes.

When to do it: If you haven’t used water for 6 hours or more — usually first thing in the morning when you wake up and when you come home after work or school.

Cleaning faucet screens

Clean the faucet screens regularly. Aerators, also called faucet screens, can trap lead. Then, they can release lead like a tea bag in water over time. Disassemble and soak screens in vinegar. Then, scrub the screens with a toothbrush.

Using Filters

Use filters certified for lead reduction. Only these filters will reduce lead. You must follow all instructions from the manufacturer. Look for filters that are certified for lead reduction by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF).

Yes, during planned water main replacement work. Customers can also get a zero-interest loan.

1) Free replacement during planned water main replacement. If we discover a lead service line during planned water main work, we will remove and replace the lead service line for free. Property owners must provide permission. PWD will notify residents by mail before work is scheduled to begin. See information about upcoming construction projects in your community: water.phila.gov/projects

This method is limited to approximately 1% of all City water mains each year.

2) The Homeowner Emergency Loan Program (HELP) offers zero-interest loans to replace lead service lines. Customers have 5 years (60 months) to pay off the loan. Only customers with confirmed lead (or galvanized metal) service lines are eligible. Learn more: water.phila.gov/help

Learn more about the options for replacing a lead service line →

If you don’t want to take out a loan or wait for water main replacement on your block, you can hire a plumber to replace the line. If replacement isn’t feasible, follow instructions for flushing.

We are working on a plan to replace all known lead service lines in Philadelphia by 2038. This is an ambitious plan that will require funding and the cooperation of property owners.

Running your water for about 3-5 minutes a day will cost about a couple of pennies per flush. If you want to conserve water, flushing your toilet, running a washer, or taking a shower will also get rid of water that has been sitting in pipes, or you can collect the water while flushing your pipes and use it to water non-edible plants.

Your service line pipes are a part of your property. We are not responsible for the materials on your property. We did not install lead service lines. It may help to think of these pipes as similar to other plumbing parts, like faucets or water heaters.

The length of time to flush depends on how far your property is from the water main. If you live in a rowhome close to the street, 3 minutes is fine. We say “3-5 minutes” to account for some properties that are set farther back from the street.

No. The same 3-5 minutes flushing guidance will clear the water sitting in your pipes, whether you’ve been gone for a week or a month.

No, you do not need to flush from every pipe. You can flush from a single faucet to draw in fresh water from the main.

Using cold water assures that you are pulling in water from the water main. Hot water comes from your water heater and may not immediately begin refilling. When you use hot water, you are not directly pulling new water in from the water main in the street.

Lead service lines are a challenge across the country. Even though these lines don’t belong to the City of Philadelphia, we support the removal of water service lines that contain lead. To meet this challenge, cities need to understand the number and location of these lines. The map and records will inform plans for future lead service line replacement efforts.

It’s the law: We’re required by Federal and State law to make this information available to the public. This law applies to every water utility in the United States. There is a national effort to remove lead service lines from all properties. Sharing this information is a key step in this important work.

The information is compiled from multiple sources over different time periods. Sources include historical records, field inspections, and permits. They also include material tests at one point of the service line during meter upgrades or conservation assistance.

These records will be updated over time as we gather additional information.

However, no materials identification method is 100% accurate.

Further work may be required to confirm and verify the materials at more points along a service line.

Properties with the following service line records are sent a notification letter each year:

• Lead
• Galvanized metal
• Incomplete records

Properties that have non-lead service lines, such as plastic or copper material, do not receive a letter as of 2025.

If you are a renter, we encourage anyone who receives the letter to share with the property owner.

Properties that have non-lead service lines, such as plastic or copper material, do not receive a letter as of 2025.

If you previously received a letter saying your service line was categorized as lead, galvanized, or unknown/incomplete records, but did not receive a letter this year, your service line may have been re-categorized as non-lead. You can check our current records for your service line on the Service Line Material Map.

You can find information about your apartment’s service line material on our Service Line Material Map. This information is available whether you own the property or not.

Typically, larger apartment buildings have water service lines with a larger diameter. Lead lines are only found on small-diameter pipes, so these properties are less likely to have lead service lines.

Even if you live in an apartment building, a quick flush after periods of stagnation will help reduce your risk of lead exposure in drinking water. Older apartment buildings may have interior plumbing fixtures that contain lead. Flushing is the best way to make sure you are receiving clean fresh water straight from PWD.

If you rent a home, you should follow the same flushing instructions. If you received a notification letter, share it with your landlord and ask about their plans for lead plumbing.

These public service line records are updated on a monthly basis.

Yes, customers can request a water test. We will conduct free water quality tests for customers with concerns about lead plumbing or water quality. Request a test online or call 215-685-6300. Requests are processed as they are received. We are seeing an increase in testing requests. We appreciate your patience!

We also perform rounds of sampling for lead to meet government regulations. Since June 1991, PWD has tested for lead levels in accordance with the federal Lead and Copper Rule.

We share these results with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the public.

Recent changes to the guidelines require more sampling and stricter limits. PWD has been planning for these changes for years, and we are prepared to meet these new requirements. See the latest results in the latest Water Quality Report.

Lead can dissolve from plumbing materials into water. This process is called corrosion. When water sits in lead or galvanized pipes for a period of 6 or more hours, the pipe can corrode or wear away. Material from lead service lines or lead solder can dissolve into the clean water we deliver to your property. Dissolved lead is not visible.

Philadelphia’s treatment helps protect your pipes from corroding. Zinc Orthophosphate, added during treatment, forms a protective coating on the inside of pipes. For over 25 years, Philadelphia has successfully used this process to reduce the amount of lead that can dissolve from plumbing into water. However, different building plumbing systems and usage patterns can affect how well corrosion control works.

Yes, if there is planned water main construction on block. We offer to replace any lead service line from our water main to the customer’s meter. This service is offered free of charge. PWD will notify residents by letter several months before work is scheduled to begin.

PWD also offers a zero-interest loan through the Homeowner Emergency Loan Program (HELP) that may be used to replace your lead service line. Learn more about HELP to replace a lead service line →

PWD is also exploring other solutions. We are actively planning other methods for customers with service lines made of lead or galvanized metal.

We are currently planning a pilot program to evaluate customer experience and costs for dedicated service line replacement.

If PWD offers to replace your service line through one of our ongoing initiatives, we encourage you to sign the required paperwork.

You can find information about upcoming construction in your neighborhood at water.phila.gov/projects.

Yes. We send email newsletters about lead, including tips for people with lead service lines or plumbing.

Sign up to receive email updates about lead and plumbing →

We also provide fact sheets and background information on lead as part of water main construction projects.

During recent meter upgrades, PWD checked the material of the service line near the meter.
Learn more about recent meter upgrades →

Material verification efforts: We are using a variety of methods to verify records of service line materials. We’ve been visiting properties to visually inspect service line materials.
Learn more about service line verification inspections →

We’re also testing emerging technologies to help categorize more service lines. Our goal is to reduce the number of incomplete records over time.

Testing water for lead at more schools and childcare facilities: Philadelphia has been testing for lead in water at schools for years.
See previous results from the School District of Philadelphia →

Our new testing program makes more facilities eligible for free sampling, including daycares, charter schools, and private schools.
Learn more about Drinking Water Sampling for Schools & Childcares →