Frequently Asked Questions
Water service lines are small pipes that carry water from the City of Houston’s water mains, located in the streets and alleys, into homes and other buildings.
The City owns the water service line from the main in the street to the water meter, typically in the property owner's yard. The property owner owns the water service line from the water meter to where it enters the building and connects with the building's internal plumbing.
Water service lines can be lead, galvanized steel, plastic, brass, copper, cast iron, or ductile iron.
Water systems commonly used lead for water service lines until 1960. Household plumbing, fixtures, and solder may have used lead until 1988. From 1988 to 2014, "lead free" plumbing fixtures could have up to 8% lead. Current standards for "lead free" fixtures allow no more than 0.25% lead content. Some homes and buildings, especially those built before 1988, may have water service lines and/or plumbing and fixtures that have lead.
Other sources of lead can include plumbing fixtures (faucets, valves, fittings, etc.), indoor copper plumbing pipes with lead solder, and lead paint. Lead paint in a home is typically the greatest risk for lead exposure for young children.
Some homes and buildings, especially those built before 1988 may have water service lines and/or internal plumbing and fixtures that have lead. A licensed plumber can help figure out if you have lead material in your indoor plumbing. You can also use a EPA approved lead test kit.
The City is taking multiple actions to reduce the potential exposure to lead through drinking water including:
- Treating drinking water for all six systems according to federal and state standards to remove harmful contaminants and help prevent lead from dissolving into the water.
- Regularly testing drinking water for lead.
- Creating a water service line material inventory to document water service line material.
- Developing plans for the replacement of lead water service lines and galvanized requiring replacement if they are found within any of the City six systems.
The City is also conducting a survey to offer free water testing for qualified homes that may have lead and copper pipes. To find out if your home qualifies for free lead and copper tap water testing, please complete the survey linked here.
Lead can get into drinking water from the plumbing inside your building or the water service line between the street and your house. When water sits in the water service line or your building's plumbing without use for many hours, such as overnight, the lead may dissolve into the water.
When water leaves the City of Houston's water treatment plants, it does not have lead. The City's water mains in the street that take water from the treatment plants are made mostly of plastic, cast iron, asbestos cement, steel, concrete, and ductile iron. The mains do not add lead to the drinking water. So, the best way to stop lead from getting into your drinking water is replacing the water service line, if it is made of lead or galvanized steel, and older plumbing and fixtures in your home.
The City of Houston is preparing a water service line materials inventory of its water system. You can look up your address on an interactive map to learn if we know the material of your water service line. Click here to view the inventory map below to see if the City has information on your water service line.
Galvanized water service lines were a common material used for plumbing in many older homes. These water service lines are dipped in a protective zinc coating to prevent corrosion and rust. The protective coating on the galvanized pipe can react with lead particles in water which could cause them to settle in the pipe. Any residual particles could dissolve back into the water in the future and be carried downstream into the home or building.
The Lead and Copper Rule Revisions require the City of Houston to inventory all galvanized water service lines and identify those which may have been impacted by lead upstream at any time in the history of the water service line installation. The Lead and Copper Rule Improvements proposes to require all of these types of galvanized water service lines, called galvanized requiring replacement (GRR), to be removed as part of the City’s lead water service line replacement program. GRRs are treated the same as lead water service lines.
For buildings in the City of Houston's service area, your water service line begins where the water pipe goes through the wall to the outside of the building. You can find your water service line by looking for this location where the water service line comes up out of the ground and goes into the side of the building. In some buildings, the line may enter through the slab, making it impossible for a building owner to identify. For buildings built on pier and beam foundations, the line may enter in the crawl space under the building.
You can also add a faucet filter or pitcher filter for your drinking and cooking water that is National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) 42- and 53-certified to remove lead. A licensed plumber can replace pipes that have lead solder or lead parts with lead-free pipes or fixtures. Visit the National Sanitation Foundation website to learn more about water filters. Visit the health effects of lead page for more ways to reduce your exposure.
If you do have a lead or galvanized water service line, the City of Houston will give you steps to protect your health and communicate with customers about their options for replacement.
According to the EPA, there is no safe level of lead that can be consumed or ingested. Exposure to high levels of lead is a serious health risk. Lead builds up in the body over many years and can cause damage to the brain, red blood cells, and kidneys. The greatest risk is to young children, pregnant women, and unborn babies. Amounts of lead that may not seriously harm adults can slow down children's normal mental and physical development, particularly those under 6 years old. Visit the CDC's website for more information on lead poisoning prevention.
You can take many steps to decrease your lead exposure in drinking water, including:
- Using fresh, cold, running water for drinking, cooking, and preparing baby formula.
- Do not boil water to remove lead. Boiling water does not remove lead and can instead increase the concentration of lead in water.
- Removing and cleaning faucet screens and aerators every 3 months.
- Buying a National Sanitation Foundation (NSF)-Certified home water treatment device, faucet, or pitcher filter that removes lead. The device must be both NSF 42- and NSF 53-certified to remove lead. A faucet mounted filter or pitcher filter is recommended, over a whole house filtration system because the water could pick up lead from sources inside the home after the filtration system. The faucet mounted filter and pitcher filters remove lead immediately before the water is consumed. Visit this website to learn more about water filters.
- Buying plumbing fixtures (faucets, valves, sinks, hose bibs, etc.) that have zero- or low-lead content meeting the current "lead-free" requirements. Read the labels of any new plumbing fixtures closely.
- Before drinking water or making baby formula, run the tap, take a shower, do laundry, or do a load of dishes to flush the pipes. Showering and flushing the toilet will help clear out your water service line if water has gone unused for more than 6 hours. This flushes the standing water and brings fresh water from the water main line. You can also run the tap for a short period of time, depending on the size of the property and the length of the water service line.
Yes. Human skin does not absorb lead in water. Bathing and showering are safe.
Additional Resources
Visit the below links to learn more about the health effects of lead and effort to remove sources of lead from the drinking water.
Lead Water Service Line Information
American Water Works Association - Managing Lead in Drinking Water
Lead Service Line Replacement Collaborative - Fact Sheet
Health Information on Lead in Water
EPA - Basic Information about Lead in Drinking Water
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Lead Poisoning Prevention Information
Lead and Copper Rule Revisions
EPA - Revised Lead and Copper Rule Information
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality - Drinking Water Lead and Copper Program
Lead Testing Information
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality - List of Approved Drinking Water Laboratories
To learn more about lead in drinking water, please visit:
More Information
Lead and Copper Rule Revisions
Water Service Line Inventory Map
Health Effects of Lead
Test Holing for Material Verification
Water Service Line Material Letters
School and Childcare Sampling
FAQs and Additional Resources
For information or inquiries email:
- 311 (713)-837-0311
- [email protected]
