Lead Service Lines in Reading, PA: How to Check Your Home

Why lead shows up in old homes

Lead was used for water pipes, solder and some fixtures for a long time. The EPA says lead pipes are more likely in older cities and in homes built before 1986. Reading was founded in 1748 and became a city in 1847, so the EPA's point about older homes applies there.

The EPA also says lead service lines, the pipes that run from the main to the house, are typically the most significant source of lead in water in homes that have them. The water from the source is not usually the problem. The pipe it travels through is.

How to check what your line is made of

1. Find where the line enters

   In many homes it enters the basement near the front wall, close to the main shutoff and the meter.

2. Look at the pipe

   A plumber can scratch the surface lightly. Lead is dull gray and soft enough to scratch with a key, and a magnet does not stick to it.

3. Check the records

   Water systems are building service line inventories. Ask the water authority whether your address is listed.

4. Consider a test

   The EPA says testing is the only sure way to know whether lead is in your water.

A plumber can do the visual check as part of a water line repair visit or a separate inspection. Take a photograph of the pipe if you can. It is useful for any later record.

What the local records show

Ask your water supplier whether it keeps an inventory of service line materials and whether your address is listed.

These inventories are works in progress. If your address is listed as unknown, that does not mean the pipe is lead. It means the material has not been confirmed in the records.

What the EPA says to do if you might have lead

• Use cold water for drinking and cooking.
• Run the tap for a short time before using it if the water has sat for hours.
• Use a filter certified to remove lead under NSF/ANSI Standard 53, and check the package for that listing.
• Do not boil the water to remove lead, because boiling does not remove it.
• Test the water, since testing is the way to know.

A filter helps with the water you drink while you decide on a longer fix. See water filtration for how to match a filter to lead.

Replacing a lead line

Replacing a service line is a water line job. It involves digging from the main to the house, installing a new pipe and restoring the surface. Ask the water authority whether any replacement program covers your address before you pay for work yourself.

Pennsylvania requires a call to 811 at least three business days before any digging. A plumber will usually place the request.

Why a filter is a bridge, not the end of the story

A certified filter reduces the lead that reaches your glass, but it does not remove the source. Water still passes through the lead pipe and the filter has to catch it every time. Cartridges need replacing on schedule, and a filter that is past its life can stop working without warning.

That is why the EPA's advice lists a filter alongside other steps. For households with young children or anyone who is pregnant, the stakes of lead exposure are higher, and replacing the source is the lasting answer.

If you choose a filter, look for certification to the standard that covers lead and confirm the product is listed by the certifier. A label that only says it improves taste has not been tested for lead.

Buying or selling an older home

A service line is part of what you own or inherit when you buy a house. Ask what is known about its material. Ask whether the water authority has recorded it. A plumber can look at the line during an inspection, and a lab test of the water gives a snapshot of what comes out of the tap.

Sellers do not always know what their line is made of. If it is unknown, say so, and consider checking it before listing. A clear answer removes a question buyers are increasingly asking.

Questions to ask the water authority

• Is my address in your service line inventory, and what is the recorded material?
• Is there a replacement program, and does it cover the private side of the line?
• Can I get my water tested, and what does it cost?
• How will I be notified if a replacement project is planned on my street?

Writing the answers down helps if you later decide to hire a plumber for the private side. It also gives you a record if the line is replaced in stages, since the public and private portions can be done at different times.

Plumbing inside the house

A lead service line is only part of the picture. Older solder, brass fixtures and galvanized pipe can also contribute. In a house with original supply piping, a plumber may suggest repiping as a longer-term answer.

If you are buying an older house, ask the seller what is known about the pipes. A plumber can inspect before closing.