Service Line Survey
We need your help to identify the service line material to your home or business.
The York Water Company provides drinking water to more than 78,000 customers in Adams, Franklin, York, and Lancaster counties. Our water travels through York Water Company owned mains, and in most locations, continues along service lines until it arrives at a customer’s home or business
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. A new federal rule requires regulated water utilities, including York Water, to develop an inventory of all service line material. You can learn more here about the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Lead and Copper Rule Revision. If your service line material is lead, York Water will replace it at no cost to you, as our customer. In addition, York Water provides a warranty on our service line replacement work for a period of 24 months from the date of the replacement with York Water’s liability limited to the cost of repairing or replacing the customer-owned service line.
We have already identified and replaced hundreds of lead service lines, but we know there are thousands of service lines still unknown and this is where our customers come into play. We need your help to identify your service line material!
Water Service Line
Water service lines include two sections: the water system-owned service line or the “utility side” and the customer-owned service line or the “customer-side”. The “utility side” is the line from the water main in the street to the curb stop and is owned by The York Water Company. The customer-owned service line or the “customer side” is the line that goes from the curb stop (see curb stop locations below) to the house or business and is owned by the customer.
How can you help?
We’re asking our water customers to tell us what material your water service line is – it only takes 10 minutes. Service lines may be made of lead, copper, galvanized steel, or plastic. Identification is a simple process, and you will find all the information you need below.
If you find that you have a lead service line, we will follow up with the next steps once we have received your information. All lead service lines will be replaced by The York Water Company at no cost to you, our customer. This is in full accordance with the regulatory requirements. Additionally, by self-identifying your service line, it could eliminate the need for further appointments with York Water and/or excavating in your yard. Don’t delay, identify today!
Click here to view a printable guide to check your service line material.
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 below.
Service Line survey
Watch a video from the EPA on Identifying Lead Service Lines
The service line is the pipe that connects your home or building to the water main in the street. Service lines may be made of lead, copper, galvanized steel, or plastic. Below are some sample images and descriptions to help you identify the material within your home or business.
Lead pipes are a dull, silver gray color, easily scratched and will be shiny silver, and ARE NOT magnetic.
Copper pipes are the color of a penny, may have green spots and ARE NOT magnetic.
Galvanized steel pipes are a dark dull gray or black color, hard to scratch and will remain gray, and ARE magnetic.
Plastic pipes are white in color, will scratch off pieces if scratched too hard and ARE NOT magnetic.
The York Water Company will continue to research documentation to determine potential service line materials. If your service line is not able to be identified through records research, we will either schedule an appointment with you to access your meter location to perform the material test and/or excavate in your yard to identify the service line material to your home or business.
For more information
- Visit the York Water Lead Information page.
- Call York Water Customer Service at 717-845-3601.
- Visit the US EPA’s website.
- Contact your healthcare provider.
- Service Line Inventory Survey – Customer Letter
