Lead - Pennsylvania
Aqua Pennsylvania’s mission is protecting and providing earth’s most essential resource. That includes protecting customers’ drinking water from contaminants like lead. While regulatory standards ensure our drinking water meets all current requirements as it enters and moves through our distribution system, some lead can enter customers’ homes through their service lines, which are lines that carry water from our pipes in the street into homes, or even from appliances within the home.
Aqua Pennsylvania has an ongoing effort throughout the state to identify and replace all customer-owned lead and galvanized service lines at no direct cost to the customer.
Please note, this work is being performed in phases. See below for details on where work is currently being done.
To be clear, if your service line contains lead, you can still use it thanks to Aqua Pennsylvania’s careful water treatment process, which minimizes the potential for corrosion of lead and copper into our customers’ drinking water.
For more information on the sources of lead and the potential health impacts, click here.
Aqua also shares water quality information in our Water Quality Reports (also called Consumer Confidence Reports). Our reports show lead sample results if available for the system. Find Your Local Water Quality Report Here.
Customer-owned Service Lines
Service lines are split into two portions, a customer-owned portion and a utility-owned portion. The utility-owned portion extends from the water main in the street to the curb box/valve at the curb line/property line. The customer-owned portion extends from the curb box/valve at the curb line/property line to the customer’s structure. An infographic is pictured below.
To find out your service line material, click here to visit our new customer service line material map.
Lead Service Line Replacement
The service line that provides water service to a property is made up of two parts: a Company-owned portion (which connects from the Company’s main to the curb line) and a customer-owned portion (which connects from the curb line to a customer’s structure). Please see the Water Service Line Division of Responsibilities section below. In some states, where authorized under a state Customer Lead Service Line Replacement Program, Aqua will replace the customer-owned portion of the service line at no direct cost to the customer.
What Aqua Will Do
Aqua will:
- Identify the material type of your service line.
- Provide sampling bottles and instructions and test your water for lead.
- Enter into an agreement to replace your portion of the service line.
- Replace your service line and provide pitcher filters to protect against lead for six months after disturbance.
- Restore your property as reasonably as practicable.
- Dedicate the new service line back to you, at which time you will reassume responsibility.
- Provide a warranty on the work completed.
Who is Performing the Work?
Contractors are performing survey work on behalf of Aqua. Our regular contractors include ERM, Itron and Keystone, but in some cases, local contractors may also be working in your area. Customers are encouraged to ask to see identification if concerned. Customers can also call 1.866.SLM.AQUA (1.866.756.2782) with any questions or concerns about the legitimacy of workers claiming to represent Aqua.
See Aqua's Major Projects Currently Underway
- Current Replacement Projects: West Chester Borough, West Goshen Township, Athens Borough
- Current Survey Projects: Bensalem Township, Bristol Township, Briston Borough, Hatboro Borough, Upper Darby Township, Upper Moreland Township, Shenandoah Borough, Sayre Borough
*Smaller projects may be occurring in other areas not listed above. If you have any question, please call 1-866-SLM-AQUA (1-866-756-2782).
Is My Water Safe to Drink?
My pipe has been identified as lead or galvanized. Is it safe to drink while I wait for a replacement? What may I expect as part of the pipe replacement?
Results of our laboratory testing program show our drinking water meets the current requirements through careful water treatment which minimizes the potential for corrosion of lead and copper into our customer’s drinking water. Even so, it is in the best interest of our customers to further mitigate risk by replacing these service lines with more modern materials.
Prior to the replacement, Aqua will provide customers with a kit which includes a water filter (pitcher or tap filter) approved by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) and six months of replacement filters. We will provide instructions on using the water sampling materials. We will request to sample your water between 3 and 6 months after replacement of the service line.
When Will My Service Line Be Replaced?
If my service line is lead or galvanized, when will it be replaced?
Aqua Pennsylvania is planning to systematically replace all identified lead and galvanized service lines. We will reach out when we are performing replacements in your area.
Will My Service Be Interrupted?
Since this work is focused on customer-owned service lines, only the properties identified for replacement will be impacted. We do not anticipate any other water service interruptions. Those properties identified for service line replacement will be asked to schedule a date for the work to occur. In certain cases, excavation will be necessary on sidewalks used by the public. Aqua will repair those areas after completion of the pipe replacement.
Will There Be Any Work On My Property?
Only the properties identified for customer-owned service line replacement will be impacted. For those property owners, the service lines will be replaced at no direct cost by a contracted plumber. The plumber will coordinate with the property owner to schedule the replacement.