The entry in brief
A house older than about 1955 could still take its water through lead from the street. Copper pipe joined with lead solder was common until the late 1980s. A simple visual check at the meter tells you a lot.
How to check your service line
- Find the pipe where water enters the basement, before the meter.
- Look at its colour: lead is dull grey and soft.
- Draw a key lightly across it. Lead turns bright silver under the scratch and ignores a fridge magnet.
- Copper looks like a penny when scratched; galvanized steel is hard and attracts a magnet.
Who owns the pipe
The service line has two parts: one on public property, owned by the municipality or region, and one on private property, owned by the homeowner. Replacing both sides together gives the best result. Municipalities in the GTA have offered programmes for lead service replacement at times. Check the current terms with the Region of Peel or your municipality.
Testing
Regional water services have offered lead testing for residents in older homes. Contact them to ask about current testing options.
What replacement involves
Replacing a private-side service line means excavating or boring from the property line to the house. Our water line replacement page explains the steps.
What callers want to know
Is lead solder a problem?
It can contribute small amounts of lead, mostly in water that sits in pipes. Flushing taps helps.
Do filters remove lead?
Some certified filters do. Look for certification for lead reduction.