Your Guide to Water Service Line Replacement
What is a water service line?
A water service line is the pipe that brings water from the water main in the street to the plumbing in your property. The portion of the service line from the water main to the water meter belongs to Salt Lake City Public Utilities (SLCDPU). The portion from the water meter to your home belongs to you. While the water we deliver to customers is lead-free, lead can get into the water as it passes through internal plumbing or a water service line that contains lead.
Water Service Line Replacement Timeline
This is the sequence of events for your upcoming water service line replacement. The steps are explained in detail down below.
Post-replacement activities, including flushing, using filtered water, and sampling for lead
Pre-replacement
onsite meeting
Water service line replacement and new service line inspection
How to Reduce Exposure
Use certified filters and replace cartridges on time. Never use hot water with filters.
Clean your aerator regularly to remove lead and debris.
Use cold water for drinking, cooking, and baby formula. Boiling water does not remove lead.
Run your water to flush the pipes, especially if water has been sitting.
Learn about construction in your neighborhood
Nearby work may disturb lead service lines.
We'll notify you if your line is affected.
Have your water tested Contact SLCDPU or visit https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinkingwater/
basic-information-about-lead-drinking-water
to request lead testing and more information.
Test your child's blood for lead. Ask your doctor or loal health department about lead blood testing.
SLCDPU Lead and Copper Program
Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities (SLCDPU) Lead and Copper Program is dedicated to maintaining public health and safety.* The program includes the identification and replacement of services lines that are potential sources of lead in drinking water. We are also conducting extensive sampling, water quality monitoring, and public outreach.
* Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities is compliant with all federal rules and regulations for Lead and Copper.
Water Service Line Material Identification
Visit www.SLCLeadandCopper.com to complete our water service line material identification survey.
Our team must identify your service line material before replacement begins. This may require a process called potholing, in which the team may dig small holes in the street or your yard. If your service line is identified as being a source of lead in your drinking water, the replacement process will begin.
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Homes built before 1950, when lead pipes were common.
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Households that meet federal eligibility criteria for assistance programs.
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Neighborhoods with high density of susceptible populations.
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Homes that have participated in our lead line identification program through surveys and have confirmed lead service lines.
Prioritization for Service Line Replacement:
DO YOU HAVE A LEAD SERVICE LINE?
If you are a Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities customer and want to find out-- Take our survey!
STEP 1
Pre-Replacement Meeting
We need your permission to access your property for the water service line inspection and replacement. Press the button below to sign the authorization form today. If you are unable to access the form for any reason, we can provide you with another way to sign the form -- just let us know!
What to Expect:
• No work will be performed during this initial visit.
• Our team will confirm that you (or your designee) have signed the consent form that allowsproperty access for the service line replacement.
• Before replacing your water service line, we will excavate a small hole between the watermeter and your house to confirm the material of your service line.
• Property owners must provide safe, lighted, and unencumbered access to the water meterand to the service line inside the property, including access to the basement, crawlspace, wallor floor area where the service line enters the building. Please contain pets and move anyitems blocking access, such as boxes, furniture, washers, dryers, etc.
• Our team will review the replacement process, answer your questions, provide a water pitcher, and discuss next steps.
• If you need translation services, please request them at least 72 hours in advance to your meeting time.
STEP 2
Day of Water Service Line Replacement
During the service line replacement visit, crews will need to enter your property for several hours to begin and complete the replacement process. If your consent form is unsigned, our team will be unable to begin work on your service line replacement.
What to Expect:
• Crews will need access to your property during the scheduled replacement. The property owner or designee, at least 18 years old, must remain at the property for the duration of the replacement.
• We will have to turn off your water to complete the replacement process. Most service lines can be replaced within eight hours. We recommend storing enough water for the day ahead of water turn off.
•If the meter and/or service line is located behind a finished wall, or under a finished floor, the property owner is responsible for removing the obstruction and establishing access to perform the work.
• We will clean up any messes created and will restore any disrupted ground in the back and/or front yard to a level surface, and reseed grass, generally within a four-month time frame.
• After installation, our team will conduct a thorough inspection of the line to verify correct installation and material use before burying.
Here's what you need to know immediately following the replacement:
• During the water service line replacement process, debris can get trapped in interior plumbing. Crews will flush the new water service line using outside taps to remove any debris.
• Crews will also review instructions for flushing internal plumbing and perform an initial flush with you. They will leave instructions for you to continue daily flushing for 30 days following replacement.
STEP 3
After Your Service Line Replacement
Your water service line has been replaced with a non-lead material. You should flush the water in your home on the day of the replacement and in the months following your service line replacement to reduce your risk of lead exposure from lead particles that may have been dislodged during construction or that remain in your interior plumbing.
• After installation of the new water service line, maintenance of the service line from the water meter to the home, and any interior plumbing modifications, remain the responsibility of the property owner.
• The one-year warranty for your service line replacement will be provided by the contractor.
• You can test to confirm the reduction of lead levels in your home’s drinking water following your service line replacement by collecting samples of your tap water. Tests should occur between three to six months after replacement. If the lead results are still high at this time, this may indicate that there are other potential sources of lead in your drinking water, such as interior plumbing and fixtures. We will provide you with a sampling kit that may be mailed for laboratory testing of lead.
• Lead levels can be temporarily elevated after replacement. For this reason, you should:
Here's what you need to know in the months after the replacement:
Continue using filtered water for drinking, cooking, and preparing infant formula for six months. We will provide one replacement water pitcher filter that is good for six months of use.
Flush water through your home’s plumbing when water has not been used for several hours -- such as first thing in the morning or when coming home from work. You can do this by running the kitchen or bathroom faucet for 5 minutes before use. You can capture this water and use it for non-consumable purposes like washing dishes or water plants.
Clean your aerators more frequently. We encourage all home owners to clean their aerators once a month for the six months following a service line replacement. We will provide you with an Aerator Cleaning Guide to show you how.