Lead Service Line Replacement Rules for Property Owners

If your building still gets its water through a lead service line, the rules are moving toward forcing that pipe out of the ground, and the private section on your side of the property line is usually your bill. In the US, the EPA's Lead and Copper Rule Improvements push water utilities to replace lead lines on a fixed schedule starting in late 2027. In Canada, cities such as Montréal and Toronto run their own replacement programs, and Montréal's by-law lets the city replace the private portion at the owner's cost when it works on the public side.

Why a single pipe gets so much attention

The service line is the short run of pipe that carries water from the main under the street into your building. In houses and small buildings put up before the mid 1950s (and in some cities well into the 1970s), that pipe was often lead.

The problem is what they release. Water sitting in a lead pipe picks up dissolved lead and small particles, especially after the line has been disturbed by street work, a meter change or a pressure swing. There is no safe level of lead exposure for children, so regulators on both sides of the border have shifted from "treat the water and monitor" toward "remove the pipe."

The US picture: Lead and Copper Rule Improvements

The EPA finalized the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) in October 2024. The main compliance date for water systems is November 1, 2027. The parts that matter most to property owners:

• Inventories. Utilities had to publish an inventory of every service line in their system, classified as lead, galvanized requiring replacement, non-lead, or unknown. Many utilities post this as a searchable map, so you can often look up your own address.
• Notification. If your line is listed as lead, galvanized requiring replacement or unknown, the utility has to tell you, and repeat that notice on a schedule.
• Full replacement. The rule, as finalized, requires utilities to replace lead and qualifying galvanized lines, generally within ten years of the compliance date. Partial replacements (swapping only the public side and leaving lead on the private side) are discouraged because cutting into a lead line can raise lead levels for months.
• Lower action level. The lead action level drops from 15 to 10 parts per billion, which means more systems will be required to act faster on treatment and public education.

What the federal rule does not do is set who pays for the private side. That decision belongs to each state and utility. Some utilities replace the full line at no charge using state revolving fund money, some offer cost sharing or financing, and some require the owner to pay for everything past the curb stop. States are also adopting the federal revisions into their own codes on their own timelines, so local details can differ.

For US owners, the first step is looking up the address in the utility's inventory. A line listed as "unknown" will eventually need to be verified, and confirming it early gives a clearer picture of any cost share.

The Canadian picture: guidelines plus city programs

Canada does not have a federal replacement mandate. Health Canada's guideline sets a maximum acceptable concentration of 5 micrograms per litre (5 ppb) for lead in drinking water, measured at the tap, which is stricter than the US action level. Provinces and municipalities turn that guideline into sampling rules and replacement programs.

Montréal

Montréal has committed to removing every lead service line on its territory, with the current target set at 2032. The city maps addresses where lead lines are known or suspected. Under its by-law on connections to the water and sewer systems (20-030), when the city replaces the public section and the private section is still lead, the city's contractor replaces the private section at the same time and the owner pays for that portion. Owners who want to replace the private side on their own schedule need a permit from their borough. Anyone selling a pre-1970 building should expect the question to come up during the inspection.

Toronto and other Ontario cities

Toronto replaces the city-owned portion of lead lines through its capital program and encourages owners to replace the private side at the same time, since a partial job leaves lead in the ground. Ontario's drinking water regulations require community lead sampling, and several cities, including Ottawa, Hamilton and London, run their own lead programs with varying levels of financial help. If you are in Toronto or another Ontario city, the city's lead program page is the place to confirm whether your street is on the capital schedule.

How the replacement job usually works

The job touches the street, the yard and the basement wall, so it needs coordination.

1. Confirm the material. A plumber checks the pipe where it enters the building, just before the meter. Lead is dull grey, soft enough to scratch to a shiny silver with a key, and does not attract a magnet. A camera or a test pit near the curb confirms the rest of the run when needed.
2. Coordinate with the utility. The best outcome is a full replacement where the public and private sides are done together, which avoids leaving a lead stub at the curb.
3. Pick the method. Many lines can be replaced with trenchless pulling or boring, which pulls new copper or PEX through the old path or a new bore with small pits at each end. Open trenching is used when the route has obstacles, the line is shallow, or the soil does not allow boring. Our guide to trenchless versus digging covers the same tradeoffs for sewer lines.
4. Permits and inspection. Most cities require a permit for the private side and an inspection before backfill.
5. Flush and test. After the new line is live, faucets are flushed to clear disturbed particles, and a follow-up tap test is a sensible step.

What drives the cost on the private side

We will not put a single number on this because it varies so much by city, but these are the factors that move a private side quote:

• Length of the run from the property line to the foundation.
• Trenchless or open cut, and what sits on top of the line (driveway, mature tree, landscaping, a porch).
• Depth, which in northern cities is deeper to stay below frost.
• Foundation entry and any interior repiping needed to tie into the meter.
• Restoration of sod, asphalt or interlock after the work.
• Utility cost sharing or rebates, which can reduce or cover the owner portion.

If the inside of the building also has lead, galvanized or old copper with lead solder, the service line job is a good moment to look at whole home repiping as well, since the water will already be shut off and the plumber is already on site.

Frequently asked questions

Who pays to replace the private part of a lead service line?

In most cities the property owner pays for the private section, from the property line or curb stop into the building. Some US utilities cover the full line with state or federal funds, and some Canadian cities offer rebates or let owners spread the cost over property taxes. Montréal bills owners for the private portion when its contractor replaces it alongside the public side.

Can a lead service line stay if the water tests fine?

A single good test does not prove the line is safe, because lead release changes with water chemistry, temperature and any disturbance to the pipe. Regulators in both countries are moving toward full removal rather than relying on test results. If your city schedules a replacement, a lead line will eventually have to go.

Is a partial lead service line replacement a problem?

Yes, partial replacement is generally discouraged. Cutting and reconnecting a lead pipe can shake loose lead particles, and the remaining lead section keeps releasing lead afterward. Coordinating the private side with the utility's public side work gives the cleanest result.

How long does a lead service line replacement take?

A typical residential trenchless replacement is usually completed in a day, with the water off for part of that day. Open trench jobs, long runs, or work that needs street permits can stretch to two or three days, plus time for inspection and restoration.

Plan the replacement on your schedule

Cundia handles service line replacements, trenchless installs and the interior repiping that often goes with them, for homes and commercial buildings across Canada and the US, including Montréal. Send the address, the age of the building, what the utility has told you about the line and any photos of the pipe where it enters the basement through the quote form, and you will get a written scope back.