Verifying Pipe Material

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.

We have reviewed plumbing records dating back more than 100 years and created an inventory of the materials used for water service lines, which are the pipes that carry water from WSSC Water’s water main to your property. A portion of the water service line is utility owned while the other portion is customer owned.

For 98% of WSSC Water’s service lines, we have records to indicate—or we physically verified—that the water service line pipe material on both sides is non-lead.

The remainder are classified as one of the following:

• Unknown pipe type, on the utility side only
• Unknown pipe type, on the customer side only
• Unknown pipe type, on both sides
• Galvanized Requiring Replacement (GRR)

Our team wants to ensure that the water service line in these buildings is safe and free of lead. So, we are offering a free pipe check. 

Clearly identified contractors working for WSSC Water are knocking on doors at these specific addresses to offer to view and verify the water service line. The pipe is typically in a basement, utility room or crawl space. Our contractors will ask homeowners to sign a short form granting permission to come inside to verify the pipe type. They will be wearing WSSC Water hard hats and carrying WSSC Water photo ID badges. 

Learn how to identify WSSC Water employees

While our contractors are out knocking on doors most every weekday, it will still take months—possibly even years—to verify all the remaining service lines.  

After pipe material verification, the contractor, a member of our Lead Free Group, will share the results with the homeowner. If no one is home, then the contractor will leave a door hanger with details on how to schedule an appointment or how the resident can complete the pipe type survey on their own.

But customers don’t have to wait! They can schedule a free in-home verification by emailing PipeType@wsscwater.com or calling 301-206-7200.

Alternately, these customers may verify their pipe material themselves by typing their address into the Lead Map and selecting the survey in the pop-up box. The survey link includes a video and step-by-step instructions.