Use the map below to check if Lincoln Water System’s records indicate your service line is made of lead or galvanized steel. If your service line material is listed as unknown, it may be lead or lead-contaminated galvanized steel if it was installed before 1950.
Because a service line is mostly buried underground, it is not possible to know for certain what it is made of without hiring a contractor to dig down and inspect it. But you can usually see the service line where it enters your building near the water meter. This is the part of the service line where you can use the Magnet and Penny test below to identify the pipe type of your service line.
Use Lincoln Water System's interactive map to look up the status of the service line on your property and determine if it is non-lead, lead, or lead-contaminated galvanized steel.
lincoln.ne.gov/WaterServiceLineMap
You can also view information on your water service line by accessing our tap record interactive map at: lincoln.ne.gov/WaterServiceLines
The records are searchable by address, owner, parcel number, or by clicking on a property on the map. If there are records associated with the selected address, they will appear under the heading “TAP Images”. Click on all the records labeled “Water” to see the images of our records. It is important to look over all the records listed as many older service lines have been partially or fully replaced and will have additional records indicating this. If the supply line was replaced, you should see the words “old tap abandoned” and/or “replacement tap”. More information on how to interpret these records is available on the website. Please feel free to call Lincoln Water System at 402-441-7571 for additional help.
Important note: Please be aware these records may not be complete, may have missing information, or may not have been updated if the property owner had work performed and it was not reported to Lincoln Water System.
Next Know When Your House Was Built
If your service line is listed as unknown on the map, you can use the age of your home to help determine if you may have a lead or lead-contaminated galvanized steel service line.
In Lincoln, lead service lines are most often found in homes built prior to 1940. If your house was built after 1949, it is very unlikely you have (or ever had) a lead service line. Copper began to replace lead and galvanized steel for use in the 1920s and by the 1940s service lines were usually copper. The age of your home is a good starting point for figuring out if you might have or had a lead service line. However, many of these older service lines have already been replaced with more modern materials.
Property Information Lookup
Next Magnet and Penny Test Previous Look Up Online
Using a magnet and a penny, you can identify the type of metal used in a section of your service line. Perform this test on the pipe that is exposed between the water meter and where the pipe enters your home. Keep in mind, this test only identifies a portion of your service line. The most likely section of service line to be made of lead is buried underground between the water main and the water shut-off valve, called a curb stop, outside. It was a common practice to install a small section of lead pipe at the water main and connect it to a longer pipe made of galvanized steel that ran to the water meter.
This test can also be used to identify metals used in other home plumbing.
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