A water service line is the pipe that carries drinking water from a utility's water main to a building. Ownership is commonly split: in Cherokee County, Georgia, the county water authority owns the line from the main to the meter, and the customer owns the line from the meter to the house.[1] Lead service lines, still found in some older communities, are typically the most significant source of lead in drinking water in homes that have them.[2]
Ownership
The Cherokee County Water and Sewerage Authority owns the service lateral from the water main to the meter; the line from the meter to the structure is on private property and belongs to the customer.[1] The City of Woodstock divides responsibility the same way for its customers.[6]
Service line inventories
Under the EPA's 2021 Lead and Copper Rule Revisions, water utilities had to complete an inventory of their service lines by October 16, 2024, and begin notifying customers served by known or potential lead lines.[7] Each line must be classified as lead, galvanized requiring replacement, non-lead, or lead status unknown, and where ownership is split, both the utility's and the customer's portions must be classified.[8] Based on these inventories, the EPA estimates that about 4 million lead service lines remain in the United States.[3]
The Cherokee County Water and Sewerage Authority reports that no lead has been used or detected in its system and that it has no known public lead laterals; its address-searchable inventory lists lines as non-lead or lead status unknown, and it notes that homes built before 1992 may have some lead plumbing components.[1]
Lead line replacement rules
The EPA's Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, finalized in October 2024, require water systems to identify and replace lead pipes, generally within 10 years.[4] The rule also lowers the lead action level to 10 parts per billion.[5] The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provides $15 billion for lead service line replacement through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund.[5]
Health effects of lead
No safe blood lead level has been identified for young children.[9] The EPA's health goal for lead in drinking water is zero.[2] Lead enters water when pipes, faucets and fixtures corrode, especially with acidic or low-mineral water. The CDC advises using only cold tap water for drinking and cooking, notes that boiling does not remove lead, and recommends filters certified to remove it.[9]
Checking a service line
Lead pipes are more likely in older cities and in homes built before 1986.[10] The EPA advises homeowners to ask their water utility first and, if it has no record, to have a licensed plumber check the line.[10] A simple scratch test helps: copper shows a copper color, lead is dull and soft and turns shiny silver when scratched, and a magnet that sticks indicates galvanized steel rather than lead.[11][12] Testing the water is the only way to confirm whether it contains lead; certified laboratories typically charge about $15 to $100.[12]
References
- ^ ^ ^ "Lead & Copper Inventory". Cherokee County Water and Sewerage Authority. ccwsa.com
- ^ ^ "Basic Information about Lead in Drinking Water". U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, updated June 18, 2026. epa.gov
- ^ ^ "EPA's 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment". U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, updated May 20, 2026. epa.gov
- ^ ^ "Lead and Copper Rule Improvements". U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, updated December 29, 2025. epa.gov
- ^ ^ ^ ^ "LCRI Questions and Answers". U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, updated March 11, 2026. epa.gov
- ^ "Troubleshooting". City of Woodstock Water & Sewer Utility. woodstockga.gov
- ^ "Revised Lead and Copper Rule". U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, updated March 2, 2026. epa.gov
- ^ "Planning and Developing a Service Line Inventory". U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, updated March 11, 2026. epa.gov
- ^ ^ "About Lead in Drinking Water". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, updated August 20, 2025. cdc.gov
- ^ ^ "Reduce the Risk of Lead Exposure at Home". U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, updated October 5, 2026. epa.gov
- ^ "EPA Researchers Share Approaches to Identify Lead Service Lines". U.S. EPA Science Matters, March 15, 2022. epa.gov
- ^ ^ "Protect Your Tap: A Quick Check for Lead". U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. www3.epa.gov