Service Line Inventory Project

What is a Water Service Line? 

A water service line is the connection from the drinking water main to the foundation of the home (or building). Each home’s service line consists of two portions: the City owns the portion of the line from the drinking water main to the meter pit (“system-owned”), and the homeowner owns the portion of the line from the meter pit to their home’s foundation (“customer-owned”). As seen in the graphic. 

Project Details

The City must inventory and categorize drinking water service line materials for all homes and buildings within the service area, including both the system-owned portion and the customer-owned portion. In order to do this, the City may:

• Perform visual inspections of meter pits.
• Take water samples at exterior taps.
• Collect customer information including pictures of where the service line enters the property.
• In some rare cases, the City may need to dig a small hole over the service line, a procedure called “potholing”.

Note: City of Arvada employees will never come into your home without your permission and we will never disturb your property without your approval. City employees will always be in a City vehicle with proper identification.

The City began this inventory project by selecting hundreds of initial properties to survey. If your property was selected, you received a letter in the mail explaining the project and requesting your participation. If you do participate in the survey, the City team will share their findings with you and provide guidance about your particular service line materials. 

Timeline

The inventory project began Summer 2021 and will continue until all service line materials are identified. The inventory will be made publicly available by October 2024.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know what my portion of the service line is made of?

• Homes built after 1950 are more likely to have copper service lines.

• You can often identify the material used in your service line through a visual inspection at the point where the water service line enters your home. Reference this photo to find the location.

  • Find the section of plumbing that enters your home near the foundation, there is usually a valve at that location. Be careful not to confuse it with the sewer or gas line.

• You can scrape a small section with a coin if it is dirty or discolored. Reference this photo for pictures of pipe material types.

  • If the scraped area is shiny and silver, your service line is lead. A magnet will not stick to a lead pipe.

  • If the scraped area is copper in color, like a penny, your service line is copper.

  • If the scraped area remains a dull gray, and a magnet sticks to the surface, your service line is galvanized steel.

  • The plumbing material may be PEX/plastic. In this case, it would appear to be plastic not metal. 

• Still not sure? You can take a picture of the service line and send it, along with the service address to LCR@arvada.org and a City team member will get back to you. 

​What if I don’t want to replace my line (or my landlord doesn’t want to replace it)?

• The customer-owned service line is the responsibility of the property owner. With changes to the USEPA’s regulations, there may be required disclosures if the property is sold. The City recommends that any customer-owned service line that is identified as lead or galvanized be replaced as soon as possible. 

• If a lead service line is confirmed to be present, aA certified lead-removing filter should be used for drinking water, cooking, and dishes where water is a base ingredient or absorbed into the food (recipes like rice, beans and soup) and preparing infant formula if a lead service line is known to be present. 

I can’t afford to replace all my plumbing materials, what should I do?

• The City is working through options to provide some financial support to residents who replace their portion of galvanized or lead service lines (does not apply to premise plumbing). However, no final decisions have been made yet. If you choose to replace your service line now, please retain your receipts and proof of work from a licensed contractor, including proof of materials replaced and preferably with pictures of the line before and after replacement. If you do replace your galvanized or lead service line, please let us know! Email LCR@arvada.org. We will contact you when any reimbursement details have been determined.

What if my internal premise plumbing is galvanized too?

• If a copper pipe is connected to a galvanized line, a dielectric junction must be installed to reduce the potential for corrosion. It is recommended that internal galvanized lines be updated as well.

I have a lead/galvanized line, should I be worried for my family’s health?

• Your health care provider is your best source of information and support for your family’s health.

• The Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment has a fact sheet about lead in drinking water that provides tips on reducing exposure. 

Are there lead pipes in the system-owned portion of the water system?

• No. The City long ago removed all lead pipes from the system-owned portion of the water system. 

What are other ways I can reduce my family’s exposure to lead?

• Replace old plumbing materials and fixtures, particularly lead, galvanized, or brass.

• Run your cold tap for several seconds before use, and always use the cold side for consumption. You can warm water for cooking or formula on the stove or in the microwave.

• The Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment has made resources available on their website for residents to learn more about lead exposure. They have a helpful brochure about common lead sources and health concerns. 

• The EPA has resources available as well, please see https://www.epa.gov/lead for more information.

Contact

Questions about the Service Line Inventory project may be directed to LCR@arvada.org or 720-898-7800.