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Environmental Health Division
Service Line Material Types and Definitions
For Minnesota Public Water Systems
Identifying Lead Service Line materials
Water lines are typically 12 inches below the depth soil freezes in a community. Knowledge of service line materials is only as good as installation records, repair records, and inspections of those parts of the service that are easily accessed.
Required inventory materials definitions
Service Line Status Options for Lead Service Line Inventories
| Status of Service Line | Lead and Copper Rule Definition |
|---|---|
| Galvanized Requiring Replacement | A galvanized service line is or was at any time downstream of a lead service line or is currently downstream of a “Lead Status Unknown” service line. If the water system is unable to demonstrate that the galvanized service line was never downstream of a lead service line, it must presume there was an upstream lead service line. |
| Non-Lead | The service line is determined through an evidence-based record, method, or technique not to be lead or galvanized requiring replacement. The water system may classify the actual material of the service line (i.e., plastic or copper) as an alternative to classifying it as “Non-lead.” |
| Lead Status Unknown Or Unknown | Where the service line material is not known to be lead, galvanized requiring replacement, or a non-lead service line, such as where there is no documented evidence supporting material classification. The water system may classify the line as “Unknown” as an alternative to classifying it as “Lead Status Unknown,” however, all requirements that apply to “Lead Status Unknown” service lines must also apply to those classified as “Unknown.” Water systems may elect to provide more information regarding their unknown lines as long as the inventory clearly distinguishes unknown service lines from those where the material has been verified through records or inspection. |
Non-Lead materials examples
These materials are all considered non-lead for the LCRR inventory requirements. Your system may want to consider including these types as part of its distribution asset management program to plan for future improvement projects. Systems may categorize materials using specific types of non-lead materials instead of the generic non-lead label when doing inventories.
Examples of materials that are considered non-lead include, but are not limited to:
- plastic or polyvinyl chloride (PVC),
- copper installed before 1986,
- copper installed after 1986.
Other Lead components (pigtails, goosenecks, connectors, etc.)
These components are not considered lead service lines for your inventory. While the systems is conducting it’s inventory it is recommended that if these are found/identified they are documented as part of asset management strategy to be able to plan for future projects. The Lead and Copper Rule Revisions require that the water system must replace any lead gooseneck, pigtail, or connector it owns when encountered during planned or unplanned water system infrastructure work. The water system must offer to replace a customer-owned lead gooseneck, pigtail, or connector; however, the water system is not required to bear the cost of replacement of the customer-owned parts. The water system is not required to replace a customer-owned lead gooseneck, pigtail, or connector if the customer objects to its replacement.
Resources for identifying Lead service line materials
More information concerning testing and identifying service line material is available at the following sites:
- EPA | Advice to Chicago Residents about Lead in Drinking Water
- Philadelphia Water Department | How to Check Your Service Line Material (PDF)
Return to Lead and Copper Rule Revisions
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