Does My Older Kingston Home Have Lead or Galvanized Pipes?
Look at the pipe where the water line enters the house, just before the meter. Lead is dull grey, soft and shiny when scratched with a key, and a magnet won't stick to it. Galvanized steel is grey and a magnet sticks. Copper is reddish-brown. If you think it's lead, ask your water utility and a plumber.
Request a plumberWhy does it matter?
Lead can dissolve into drinking water, and there is no known safe level of lead exposure, especially for young children and during pregnancy. Galvanized pipe isn't lead, but it rusts inside and can hold lead picked up from older lines.
Which homes are likely?
Homes built before about the mid-1950s are the most likely to have a lead service line. Copper pipe joined with lead solder was common in homes built before about 1990.
How do I check?
Find the pipe coming through the basement wall or floor before the meter. Scratch it gently with a key: lead shows bright silver. Try a fridge magnet: it sticks to steel, not to lead or copper.
What should I do meanwhile?
Run the cold tap for a few minutes when water has sat for hours, use only cold water for drinking and cooking, and consider a filter certified to remove lead. Contact your water utility about testing.
Who replaces it?
The service line is often split between the city's side and the owner's side. Ask your utility whether a replacement program is running so both sides can be done together. A plumber replaces the owner's portion. See older and heritage home plumbing.
Where's the shut-off?
While you're looking at the service line, find the main valve beside it.
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