Back to Inventory & Replacement
Submit your replacement plan
Due date: November 1, 2027 (see all upcoming lead and copper rule deadlines)
Simplified guidance is here
Everything you need to know about completing your lead service line inventory
Replacement requirements
- Refer to EPA’s Fact Sheet for detailed information about replacement
- Replacement must be completed by November 1, 2037
- All community and non-transient non-community water systems must fully replace all lead and galvanized requiring replacement (GRR) service lines that are under the water system’s control.
- Full replacement refers to the entire length of the service line (both customer side and system side).
Your plan must include:
- A description of a strategy to identify the material composition of all unknown service lines in the inventory.
- A standard operating procedure for conducting full service line replacement.
- A communication strategy for informing consumers and customers before a full or partial lead or galvanized requiring replacement (GRR) service line replacement.
- A procedure for consumers and customers to flush service lines and premise plumbing of particulate lead following a disturbance of a lead, galvanized requiring replacement (GRR), or unknown service lines or following full or partial replacement.
- A strategy to prioritize service line replacement based on factors such as known lead and galvanized requiring replacement (GRR) service lines and community-specific factors.
- A funding strategy for conducting service line replacement that includes ways to accommodate customers that are unable to pay to replace the portion of the service line they own.
- A communication strategy to inform both consumers and customers served by the water system about the replacement plan and program.
- Identification of any laws, regulations, and/or water tariff agreements that affect the water system’s ability to gain access to conduct full replacement.
- For water systems that identify any lead-lined galvanized service lines in the inventory, a strategy to determine the extent of their use in the distribution system.
Replacement rate
- Systems are required to meet a cumulative average annual replacement rate of at least 10%. Starting on December 31, 2030, systems must replace at least 10% of service lines each year, on average.
- Calculating the cumulative average annual replacement rate:
- Calculate the replacement pool–add total number of lead, GRR (galvanized requiring replacement), and unknown service lines in the baseline inventory
- Determine the number of all lead and GRR (galvanized requiring replacement) service lines replaced so far.
- Calculate the cumulative average annual replacement rate using this formula:
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the additional sampling requirements for lead service lines and galvanized service lines if downstream from a lead connector or lead service line?
Buildings served by a lead service line will be required to be sampled under the LCRI. When sampling these sites, systems must implement a new sampling method where instead of collecting a first-draw one liter sample, they must collect 5 sequential 1 liter samples. Then the lab will analyze the first for lead and copper and the 5th for lead. When calculating the 90th percentile for lead, systems will use the higher of the two concentrations for those sites sampled this way. This only applies to lead service lines, not to lead connectors or galvanized lines requiring replacement.