Your lead water pipes could be replaced for free by Pennsylvania American Water. How to find out if you're eligible.
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Water utility companies have been replacing lead pipes throughout the region, but not everyone knows if their water lines are made with lead.
When it comes to the water in your home, the water lines that run down the street are owned by the company, while the homeowner owns from the curb into the house.
"After the curb and into the customer's house is what the customer is responsible for," Joann Hepler of Pennsylvania American Water said.
Lead pipe replacement program
However, under a special lead line replacement program at Pennsylvania American Water, crews will replace the homeowner's lead water lines at no direct cost to the customer.
"When we determine that you have a lead service, we will replace it as part of a main replacement project or separately if we don't have a project going on in that area," Hepler said.
Do I have lead pipes?
To find out if you have lead pipes going into your house, and most do not, Hepler, lead program operations manager, says customers should go to a special map on the company's website, type in their address, and then see what the company has on file.
"If you can't figure it out, if you request an inspection, we'll send somebody to come in and inspect that service line for you," Hepler said.
You can let Pennsylvania American Water know of your lead pipes in an online survey, and Hepler says you should let the company know quickly. While it may take a while to replace lead water pipes, Hepler says don't worry about the water quality.
"We take steps to reduce the potential of lead leaching from service lines and household pipes into water by managing the levels of PH in the water leaving our treatment facilities and adding a corrosion inhibitor where we need to," Hepler said.
Pennsylvania American Water says it has a plan to replace all lead pipes leading into homes over the next decade.