Water Service Line Inventory

A water service line is a small, buried pipe that brings water from publicly owned water mains into homes and other buildings.

Arlington County owns and is responsible for the service line from the water main in the street to the meter, including the meter and meter box. The property owner owns and is responsible for the service line from the meter to the plumbing inside your home.

The customer part of the water service line is the pipe that connects the water meter to the plumbing inside your house. It can be found by entering your home’s basement (most common in Arlington), crawl space, or foundation at the home’s water shut off valve.

There are no lead pipes in Arlington’s water distribution system. Since County rules in 1938, lead has never been allowable pipe material for either water mains or in the publicly constructed, County-owned part of the water service line.

The County does not maintain records of plumbing on private property or the public part of the service line. 

In 1991, the County inspected about 25% of the public water service lines and did not find a single lead service line. The County interviewed past and present water distribution and maintenance workers, supervisors, and inspectors. None of them recalled ever working on a lead service line or seeing a lead service line.

Exposure to high levels of lead is a serious health risk. Lead builds up in the body over many years. It can damage the brain, red blood cells, and kidneys. The greatest risk is to young children, pregnant women, and unborn fetuses. Lead exposure can slow down the normal mental and physical development of children, particularly those under 6 years old. Find more information on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Lead Health Effects website.

No, there is no safe level of lead exposure. Any amount of lead exposure has risk.

There may be lead in water service line plumbing fixtures (faucets, valves, fittings, etc.), and indoor plumbing pipes with lead solder. Lead can enter drinking water from plumbing inside your building or the water service line between the street and building. Lead may release into the water when it sits in the service line or plumbing for hours without use, like overnight. In rare cases, water can pick up lead at its source. However, tests of our water supply show no lead. Arlington County’s water source is the Potomac River. The water drawn from the Potomac is treated at the Dalecarlia Treatment Plant located in Washington, D.C., operated by the U.S Army Corps of Engineers.

Until the statewide ban enacted on April 1, 1986, residential plumbing widely used lead-based solder to join copper pipes. Older homes and buildings, especially those built before 1986, may still have internal plumbing with lead solder. The EPA allowed “lead free” plumbing fixtures to have up to 8% lead until 2014. A licensed plumber can help determine if you have lead in your indoor plumbing. You can also use an EPA-approved lead test kit. 

Step 1: Get a strong magnet and a key or coin.

Step 2: Find where your service line enters your building. This is typically where you go every fall to turn off the outside water to keep your pipes from freezing. There will likely be a main shut-off valve in a basement (most common in Arlington), crawl space, or utility closet.

Step 3: Scratch the pipe entering the home from the street or alley with the key or coin, then hold the magnet and see if it sticks. Compare your results to the options below:

• If the material is orange or copper-colored like a penny, and a magnet does not stick, this part of the service line is copper.
• If the material is dull gray, and a strong magnet sticks to it, the part of the service line is galvanized steel.
• If the material is soft and easily scraped, gray but shines brightly, and a magnet does NOT stick to it, the pipe is lead.

Step 4: Fill out a survey with a photo of your results (please submit even if your line is not lead)

In the unlikely event that you have a lead water service line, we will work with you to create a replacement plan and expediate the permitting process. Replacement is voluntary; no one will be forced to replace their line. 

1. Run cold water before using. The longer the water stays in the plumbing, the more lead it may have. If the water in the faucet has been sitting for more than six hours, run water for at least five minutes before using it. Showering and flushing the toilet also help clear out your water line.

2. Use cold water for cooking, drinking, and making baby formula. Lead dissolves into hot water more easily than cold water. If you need hot water, draw cold water and then heat it. It is safe to shower, wash dishes, and do laundry with hot water from the tap. Lead does not affect humans through the skin. Boiling water does NOT reduce lead.

3. Replace your home’s internal plumbing that may have lead. Potential lead sources include lead pipes, lead-based solder, and brass fixtures and valves (including faucets).

4. Remove and clean faucet strainers. Every three months, remove and clean strainers at the tip of faucets to remove build up.

• Remove the faucet strainers from all taps.
• Rinse the faucet strainers.
• Run the water without a strainer for 3 to 5 minutes.
• Replace faucet strainers.

5. Test your water for lead. Send your water to a state-approved laboratory or use EPA-approved test kits. If the results show lead levels at or greater than 15 parts per billion (ppb), call Arlington County at 703-228-6567, so we can look for a cause.

6. Use filters. Consider using a water filter. Be sure the filter you choose (faucet, refrigerator or pitcher filter) is approved to reduce lead (NSF 53/42-certified). Visit this EPA webpage to learn more about water filters.

7. Test your child’s blood for lead. Your local doctor or pediatrician can perform a blood test for lead and provide you with information about the health effects of lead. Call the Arlington Department of Human Services at 703-228-7400 to learn more, including where you can have your child’s blood tested.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) makes updates to the to the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions from October 2021. The improvements seek to better protect children and communities at risk for lead exposure by outlining the following actions:

• Locate existing lead service lines and achieve 100% lead pipe replacement within 10 years in localities that have presence of lead in water service lines. Arlington County's initial water service line inventory found no lead water service lines in our water system.
• Strengthen testing requirements for tap water, especially for lead service lines
• Reduce exposure to lead if a water service line is found to have this material.
• Lowers the action level of lead from 15 µg/L to 10 µg/L.

Corrosion control is chemically treating water to help reduce the amount of lead that releases into water from plumbing and pipes. An example is adding a chemical to the water supply that coats service lines. The coating reduces the amount of lead releasing from pipes into a home’s water service line.