Lead Service Lines in Illinois
Illinois has a large number of lead water service lines, and state law now requires water systems to find and replace them. Here is what that means for an older Decatur-area home.
What a service line is
The service line carries water from the main in the street to your house. In many older homes it was made of lead, or of galvanized steel that may have been connected to lead.
The Illinois law
The Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act, Public Act 102-0613, took effect January 1, 2022. It requires community water systems to inventory service lines, notify customers who have lead lines, and replace lead service lines on a schedule (Illinois EPA, lead service line information).
How to check your line
- Find where the water line enters the house, usually in the basement near the meter.
- Look at the pipe before the main shut-off.
- Lead is dull gray, soft, and scratches to a shiny silver with a key. A magnet will not stick.
- Copper looks like a penny when scratched. Galvanized steel is gray and a magnet sticks.
- Ask your water supplier what its inventory shows for your address (City of Decatur, Illinois (water, sewer and permits)).
Health and exposure
The U.S. EPA explains that lead can enter drinking water when plumbing materials containing lead corrode, and that there is no known safe level of lead exposure for children (U.S. EPA, basic information about lead in drinking water). Until a lead line is replaced, the EPA's guidance includes using cold water for drinking and cooking, running the tap before use when water has been sitting, cleaning aerators and considering a filter certified for lead.
Replacement
Under the Illinois law, the water system replaces lead service lines on its schedule. Owners planning other work, such as a remodel or a leak repair, should talk with the water supplier first, since partial replacements can disturb lead and are discouraged. Ask how the utility coordinates the private side of the line.
Inside the house
Older homes may also have lead solder on copper pipes, or older brass fixtures. Testing your water is the way to know. Your supplier can explain testing options.
Digging
Service line work involves excavation, which starts with a JULIE locate request (JULIE, Illinois One-Call (call 811 before digging)).
Related pages: leak detection & repair, water softeners & hard water, sewer & main line repair, and what shapes an estimate.
Sources: Illinois EPA, lead service line information; U.S. EPA, basic information about lead in drinking water; City of Decatur, Illinois (water, sewer and permits).
Short answers
Does Illinois require lead service line replacement?
Yes. The Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act requires water systems to inventory and replace lead lines.
How can I tell if my line is lead?
Lead is dull gray, soft and scratches shiny silver; a magnet will not stick. Ask your supplier about its inventory.
Is lead in water dangerous?
The EPA says there is no known safe level of lead exposure for children.
Should I replace just my side of the line?
Talk with your water supplier first; partial replacements can disturb lead.
How can I reduce exposure now?
Use cold water, run the tap after water sits, clean aerators and consider a filter certified for lead.
Related plumbing work
Leak Detection & Repair
Finding and fixing leaks in supply lines, drains and fixtures, including older galvanized lines and water service lines.
Water Softeners & Hard Water
Softeners, filters and treatment for hard water and well water, sized to the house and installed with a bypass.
Sewer & Main Line Repair
Camera inspections, root and break repairs, trenchless options and full replacement of older clay and cast-iron sewer lines.
More to read
- Preventing Frozen Pipes in Central IllinoisHow to keep pipes from freezing in a Decatur winter: where pipes freeze, a fall checklist, what to do in a cold snap, protecting vacant homes and…
- Basement Flooding and Sewer Backups in Central IllinoisWhy Decatur-area basements flood, the difference between groundwater and sewer backups, sump pumps, backwater valves, downspouts, power outages and…
- Hard Water and Well Water in Macon CountyHard water and private well water around Decatur, IL: reading the City water report, testing a well, scale in water heaters and fixtures, softeners…
- Older Decatur Homes: Galvanized, Cast Iron and ClayPlumbing in older Decatur, IL homes: galvanized supply pipe, cast-iron drains, clay sewers, old basement plumbing, signs of trouble and planning…
Have a plumbing problem in Decatur?
Send the details and expect a call back to talk the project through.