Lead Information
We are replacing customer-owned lead service lines at no cost to our customers.
York Water has replaced all known company-owned lead service lines. There is no measurable lead in the our water supply, but if your home or business was built before 1934, there may be lead in your customer-owned service line.
In 2016, York Water began a large-scale effort asking our customers to identify the type of service line material serving their homes or commercial buildings so that we can replace all service lines that are made of lead. If your service line material is lead, The York Water Company team will schedule the replacement of the service line – at no cost to you, our customer.
To comply with requirements of the U.S. EPA’s proposed Lead and Copper Rule Revision (LCRR) and to do our part to remove any remaining lead service lines from our territory, The York Water Company is undertaking a project to identify the service line material type on both the company-side and the customer-owned side for all of our customers.
Many of our customers have already stepped up and shared their service line material. If you have not identified your service line material yet, please complete the Service Line Survey today.
Service Line Material Map
Our Service Line Material Map allows you to search for your property and see the material of both the company-owned and customer-owned service lines.
risks of lead and lead poisoning
It is important to minimize the intake of lead from dust inhalation, food, and water. Children are particularly susceptible to the health effects of lead poisoning. Lead is most commonly found in dust, paint, and contaminated soil. To a lesser extent, lead can also occur in tap water. When lead is detected in tap water, it usually comes from the plumbing in an older home or lead service line pipes. It is the homeowner’s responsibility to maintain, repair, and replace the service lines.
If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. York Water is responsible for providing high quality drinking water, but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components. If you are concerned about lead in your water, you may wish to have your water tested. Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available here: www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.
symptoms of lead poisoning
Symptoms of lead poisoning include loss of appetite, headaches, stomach cramps, constipation, muscle weakness or joint pain, trouble sleeping, feeling tired or irritable. Most people with lead poisoning don’t look or feel sick.
helpful resources
Steps to Check your service line material
Step 1: Gather a key or a coin and a strong refrigerator magnet. Then, find your water meter.
The meter is usually located in a basement or in a meter pit outside. Look at the pipe that connects to your meter from the curb or the outside wall. If the pipe is copper/bronze in color, and may have green tarnish, the pipe is likely copper. If the pipe is white, it is likely plastic. If you have identified your service line material as copper or plastic, you can skip to Step 4 below
Step 2: Carefully scratch the pipe with the key or coin.
If the pipe is painted, gently scrape off the paint to expose the metal before you scratch it. Do not use a knife or other sharp tool. Take care not to make a hole in the pipe. If the pipe scratches easily and turns a shiny silver color, the pipe may be lead or galvanized steel.
Step 3: Place the magnet on the pipe.
If the magnet sticks, the pipe is galvanized steel. If the magnet does not stick, the pipe is likely a lead pipe. Note: A magnet will not stick to copper or plastic, however, these can be ruled out by color and the scratch test.
Step 4: Share your findings with York Water by completing the York Water Service Line Survey.
For more information
- Call York Water at 717-845-3601.
- Visit the US EPA’s website.
- Contact your healthcare provider.