ANNUAL NOTIFICATION REGARDING YOUR WATER SERVICE LINE
Please read this important message and share with anyone
using water at this property
Property managers are required to post and share
with residents and tenants
This letter serves as your annual notification regarding your water service line material, as recorded by WSSC Water. You will continue to receive these notices each year until WSSC Water verifies that your service line is non-lead. Please read this letter carefully, as some information has been updated from the initial notification last year.
WSSC Water is proud to implement the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Lead and Copper Rule, an important national public health initiative to remove lead from America’s drinking water. This multi-year rule focuses on identifying water service line pipe materials, including those that are customer owned, on private property. (A visual description is available at wsscwater.com/serviceline.)
Based on a verification through a customer self-survey or an in-home verification, your water service line is designated Galvanized Requiring Replacement (GRR). If you believe your service line is a different material, please call 301-206-7200 or email PipeType@wsscwater.com.
Galvanized pipes can capture lead released from upstream lead service lines, which could then be released into your drinking water. Our records show that the utility-owned service line is, or once was, lead or its material is unknown. As a result, the EPA classifies the customer-owned pipe as “Galvanized Requiring Replacement' (GRR). (View a visual description at wsscwater.com/GRR.) People living in homes with a lead or GRR service line may have an increased risk of exposure to lead from their drinking water.
REPLACEMENT & FINANCING
- If lead is found on the WSSC Water-owned portion of the water service line, we will replace that portion free of charge.
- If lead is found on the customer-owned portion of the water service line, we recommend you replace the pipe. WSSC Water is developing a financial assistance program to cover the cost of pipe replacement and minimal restoration for those participating in our program. Lead Free Group, our contractor, will reach out to you and share more details once the assistance program is finalized. You can also look for updates at wsscwater.com/pipetype.
- If you replace your water service line before our financial assistance program is finalized, you need to notify WSSC Water as the EPA requires that we replace the utility-owned water service line if necessary.
- Once replacement of a water service line is complete, you will need to follow guidance on flushing, sampling and filtering to ensure small lead particles are not present in your drinking water.
WSSC WATER ACTIONS TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTHEven if your water service line contains lead, that does not necessarily mean lead is present in your drinking water. WSSC Water carefully filters and expertly treats all drinking water to ensure safety and quality. Water leaving our filtration plants is lead free. To minimize the risk of lead dissolving into the water from plumbing materials, we add a corrosion inhibitor, orthophosphate, to the water supply to create a protective coating on the inside of pipes (including those on customer property). |
HEALTH EFFECTS OF LEAD
Exposure to lead in drinking water can cause serious health effects in all age groups. Infants and children can have decreases in IQ and attention span. Lead exposure can lead to new learning and behavior problems or exacerbate existing learning and behavior problems.
The children of women who are exposed to lead before or during pregnancy can have increased risk of these adverse health effects. Adults can have increased risks of heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney or nervous system problems.
If you have children, get your child tested to determine lead levels in their blood. Contact your local health department or healthcare provider to find out how you can get your child tested for lead if you are concerned about exposure.
FREE WATER TESTING
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If you’d like to test your water for lead, we can send a kit for you to collect water samples that you’ll return to us for free analysis. Please use the form at the QR code to request your kit. The analysis can take up to eight weeks from the date we receive your samples. We will contact you with the results.
We understand that learning your water service line may contain lead can be concerning. Please email PipeType@wsscwater.com, call 301-206-7200 or visit wsscwater.com/pipetype if you have questions or need more information. We are here to help
Sincerely,
Bilal Sarayra, P.E.
Lead Service Line Replacement Program Manager
PipeType@wsscwater.com
Last Modified: December 31, 2025, 9:37 am EST