Water Service Lines

Underground is a network of pipes that supply public drinking water to homes, schools, businesses, and properties. A water service line is a pipe that transports water from the water main in the street to private property. The City is responsible for maintaining water infrastructure within the City right-of-way, which is typically from the middle of the street to the back of the sidewalk or 8' to 10' from the edge of the pavement. The City maintains the water service line from the water main in the street up to the curb box (water shut off). The property owner is responsible for maintaining the rest of the water service line after the curb box. 

Water Distribution Service Lines

Visit our Water Distribution page to learn more about service lines and distribution infrastructure: www.concordnh.gov/waterdistribution. 

Service Line Materials

Water service lines can be made of copper, plastic, brass, galvanized steel, or lead. The use of lead pipes and solder became banned in 1986, but older homes may still find lead present in the original plumbing. In Concord, water service lines are typically made of copper pipe. The City of Concord has already proactively replaced lead service lines (LSL) in the public City water system. However, it's still possible for lead service lines or lead-lined galvanized steel to exist within a property owner's private property. 

Service Line Inventory

New federal Lead & Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) have been issued to require all water systems across the United States to create and maintain a public inventory of service line materials by October 16, 2024, in compliance with the revised Lead and Copper Rule. This new regulation was developed to better protect communities from possible exposure to lead in drinking water by providing the public with information on what material each water line service is made of for every home on a public water supply in the country. The new rule proposes a 10-year timeline to remove all lead pipes from water systems across the United States, beginning by 2027.

•    Anticipated Lead & Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) Regulatory Timeline

Fortunately, Concord is in good standing and is already in compliance with the City’s side of the water distribution system and service lines. The City of Concord is now assisting water customers to identify and replace any private lead pipes or plumbing materials on the customer-owned portion of the system.

The City of Concord’s Service Line Inventory Project to identify all water service lines started in May 2023. The City is aware of the material components of the City water service lines and has the records of most of the private service lines maintained by property owners. At the start of this project, there were approximately 1,700 private water service lines with no accurate service material record. The City of Concord mailed letters to the property owners of these unknown material service lines to request an appointment for City staff to inspect their service line. We appreciate those who worked with us on this necessary task and helped us reduce the amount of unknown water service lines down to 484 connections. As of November 1, 2025, 11,217 private service lines have been detected with non-lead service lines, 202 service lines have been detected with galvanized steel (which may need to be replaced since these services are assumed to have possibly absorbed lead), and 0 service lines have been detected to be made of lead. 

These documents will be updated annually. Water systems serving less than 50,000 customers do not need to publish online a lead service line inventory, but Concord elects to make this information easily accessible to the public.

Galvanized Service Lines

If your water service line is confirmed to have galvanized steel, you will receive a letter from the City of Concord to notify you that a lead service line pipe may have been present in the past and that lead may have been absorbed into the galvanized steel and can contribute to lead in the drinking water. You will be provided with information on ways to reduce lead exposure in drinking water and contact information to request a free water test at our lab. If you plan to replace the portion of the service line that you own, please notify us at 603-228-2737. Potential financing solutions may be available to assist property owners. This letter will be sent annually in accordance with federal regulations until service lines containing lead are removed or the water system can verify that the service line does not contain lead. 

Unknown Service Lines

If your water service line has still not been identified, you will receive a letter from the City of Concord to notify you that your unknown material has the potential to be made of lead or galvanized steel pipe. People living in homes with a lead or galvanized steel pipe previously connected to a lead service line have an increased risk of exposure to lead from their drinking water. Contact us to help you identify your service line material or use the self-reporting form below (scroll down). You will be provided with information on ways to reduce lead exposure in drinking water and contact information to request a free water test at our lab. This letter will be sent annually in accordance with federal regulations until service lines containing lead are removed or the water system can verify that the service line does not contain lead.

If you haven’t received a letter previously and don’t receive a letter by the end of 2024, your service line material does not contain lead.

Concord has been proactive in staying ahead of any regulations and will continue to put public health and safety as our top priority. We will continue to work on the Water Service Line Inventory Project and appreciate the community’s assistance in making Concord lead-free.

Self-Checking & Reporting Your Service Line

You can take the following steps to inspect your own service line and report your findings to the City of Concord’s Water Treatment Facility:

1. Locate Your Service Line

Find the water meter in your basement or crawl space and inspect the service line that enters your home before the meter.

2. Scratch Test – Determine Your Pipe Material

Use a house key or coin to carefully scratch the pipe’s surface. Compare and match the scratched area to the following pipe descriptions:

  • Copper
    A copper pipe is the same color as a penny. Older copper pipes may show colors of green or blue. A magnet will not stick to a copper pipe.

  • Galvanized Steel
    A galvanized steel pipe is black, dull gray, or silver with threaded ends and will have no noticeable scratch on the surface. A magnet will stick to a galvanized steel pipe.

  • Lead
    A lead pipe is dull gray or silver and soft, which will leave a noticeable shiny scratch on the surface. A magnet will not stick to a lead pipe.

  • Plastic
    A plastic pipe is smooth and usually white, black, red, or blue. A magnet will not stick to a plastic pipe.

3. Take a Photo

Take a picture showing the material of your service line after completing the scratch test. The scratched surface (on the section of the pipe between where the pipe enters your property and the water meter) should be visible in your photo.

4. Report Your Service Line Material

Complete this form below and send us your photo to notify us of your service line material.

Thank you for taking the time to complete this important test to identify the service line on your property. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact us.

Water Quality & Compliance

Lead is not normally found in drinking water at the source. Typically, lead gets into drinking water from the service lines and from plumbing and fixtures inside the home that contain lead. If corrosion of pipes occur, lead and other materials from the pipes slowly dissolve into the water. The City of Concord has complied with the federal Lead and Copper Rule since its inception in 1991. It's our mission to provide Concord with drinking water that is of higher quality than all current state and federal water quality standards. For more information about water quality, please visit www.concordnh.gov/waterquality.

Additional Resources