How to tell if your water pipe is lead

Since October 2024, every water company in the US has had to keep a record of what each home's water pipe is made of and share it with the public. The quickest answer is to ask yours, or look your address up on this site. You can also check the pipe yourself:

1. In the basement, or wherever the water comes into your home, find the pipe that comes in through the wall. It's usually next to the water meter, a small dial on that pipe.
2. Gently scratch it with a coin, between the wall and the meter.
3. Shiny silver, and a fridge magnet won't stick: lead. The color of a penny: copper, which is fine. Dull grey, and the magnet sticks: old iron (galvanized steel). Lead can collect inside old iron pipes, so those need replacing too.

If the pipe is painted, scrape a small spot first. If it's white or black plastic, don't scratch it: plastic is fine. Not sure? A plumber can tell you in minutes.

Then tell your water company what you found, so its record of your home is right. If it tells you your pipe isn't lead, ask for that in writing. Homes built after 1988 are very unlikely to have a lead pipe; homes built before 1986 often do.