Water Service Line & Meter Confirmation Survey

Did you know that lead components may make up a portion of the water service line supplying water to your home? The City of East Lansing is looking to identify the location of lead components within the water system. If left undisturbed, lead components pose no safety risk. However, identifying the locations of all lead components in the water system is critical.

Location assessments will guide the City’s construction efforts as the removal of all lead components from the water system is prioritized. Location assessments will also assist the City of East Lansing with updating its water meter records in an effort to better plan for future meter replacement.

Location assessments are free and can either be self-reported through the online survey (link below) or by scheduling an appointment with an the East Lansing Department of Public Works staff member. To schedule an appointment, call (517) 337-9459.

Prior to Taking the Online Survey

Prior to completing the ONLINE SURVEY, property owners are asked to follow a few simple steps:

Step 1 (Optional)
Take a picture of the water service where it enters the home (inside) through the wall or floor. If both the water service pipe and the meter are clearly visible, then one picture will suffice. If they are not both clearly visible, then take a separate picture of each.

Step 2
Identify the type of pipe coming into the home/business through the wall or floor as either plastic, copper, galvanized steel or lead.

If unable to visually determine the material type, hold a magnet against the pipe. If the magnet sticks to the pipe, the material is galvanized steel and this step is completed. If the magnet does not stick and the pipe appears to be in good condition, gently scrape the pipe with a screwdriver or utility knife and use the characteristics below to help determine the material type. IMPORTANT NOTE: If the pipe entering the floor or wall is corroded or in otherwise poor condition, only perform the magnet test.

Pipe Material Identifying Characteristics:

1.) A plastic pipe should be easy to identify, can be many different colors and the pipe will not attract a magnet.

2.) Scraping a copper pipe will reveal a shiny “new penny” color and the pipe will not attract a magnet.

3.) Scraping a galvanized steel pipe will reveal a silver/white color and the pipe will attract a magnet.

4.) Scraping a lead pipe will reveal a silver/white color and the pipe will not attract a magnet.

Water Sampling Sites

Changes to the MDEQ's Lead and Copper Rule have resulted in a new water sampling requirement for local municipalities. Beginning in June 2019, East Lansing and other Michigan communities must provide water samples every six months from single-family properties with lead or galvanized steel water lines. Community members with a lead or galvanized steel water service line are encouraged to sign up as a water sampling site. Benefits of signing up include free water testing and a $25 gift card if three consecutive samples are provided over the course of 18 months. Learn more by calling DPW Infrastructure Administrator Ron Lacasse at (517) 319-6925.

Background Information

In June of 2018, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality finalized changes to the Lead and Copper Rule. Under the revised rule:

A service line is defined as the pipe from the discharge corporation fitting (connection to the water main in the street) to the customer site piping or to the building plumbing at the first shut-off valve inside the building, or 18 inches inside the building, whichever is shorter.
A lead service line is defined as either a service line which is made of lead or any lead pigtail, lead gooseneck, or other lead fitting that is connected to the service line, or both.
Lead service lines must be replaced at an average rate of 5 percent per year beginning on January 1, 2021. In addition to lead service lines, galvanized service lines that is/was connected to a lead service line must also be replaced. The replacement must be completed at the expense of the entity providing the water supply, regardless of ownership.

Also under the new rule, the City must submit a preliminary service line material inventory by January 1, 2020 and a final comprehensive inventory by January 1, 2025. To comply with the inventory deadlines and to develop a replacement schedule moving forward, the City is collecting water service line material information from property owners.