City of Lancaster Launches Initiative to Inventory Water Service Line Materials

The City of Lancaster has launched an initiative to identify and address lead and galvanized water service lines in its water distribution system. This initiative aligns with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Lead and Copper Rule Revision requiring the identification of all lead service lines by October 2024.  

Throughout 2023 and 2024, alongside routine maintenance and system upgrades, the City will focus on determining the types of service line materials in use by each water customer. Service lines, the pipes connecting homes or buildings to the water mains, may be composed of lead, copper, galvanized metal, or plastic. 

While significant progress has been made in identifying and replacing hundreds of lead service lines during routine maintenance, thousands remain unknown. The City of Lancaster Bureau of Water serves more than 120,000 people in the City and surrounding metropolitan area, with approximately 50,000 customer accounts.

Water customers are being asked to verify the material of the customer-owned portion of their water service line promptly. Customers have recently received either a letter or email, based on their chosen billing method, with instructions on how to verify and report the material of their water service line. Over 2,000 water customers have already taken steps to verify their service line material. If customers confirm having a lead or galvanized service line, they will receive follow-up instructions. 

The City of Lancaster is committed to replacing identified lead or galvanized service lines in strict accordance with state regulatory requirements. This proactive approach aims to safeguard the community’s water infrastructure and adhere to federal guidelines on water quality. 

“We recognize the importance of water safety, and we are dedicated to ensuring that our residents have access to clean and reliable water. We appreciate the cooperation of our water customers in verifying their service line materials, as it is a crucial step in meeting regulatory standards and removing lead pipes from our water distribution infrastructure,” said Steve Campbell, Director of Public Works. 

Residents are encouraged not to delay and verify their service line materials today. For more information, visit www.cityoflancasterpa.gov/lead-service-line.