This guide explains lead service line replacement in Detroit: what the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) program covers, how Michigan's rules work, and how to check what your water service is made of. If a plumber is already working on your water line, or you want a second opinion on what you've got, call (313) 474-7729.
What a lead service line is
The service line is the pipe that brings water from the main in the street into your house. In older Detroit homes it was often made of lead, or of galvanized steel that was connected to lead. Michigan's rule treats a galvanized line that is or was connected to lead (called GPCL) the same as a lead line for replacement purposes.
DWSD's lead service line replacement program
According to DWSD, the city has been replacing lead service lines since 2018, first alongside water main projects and, since May 2023, neighborhood by neighborhood. Neighborhoods are prioritized by density of housing built before 1945, numbers of children and seniors, and likely low-income households based on Census tracts. DWSD says the work is done at its expense, that an adult must be home during the work, and that it estimates roughly 80,000 lead lines across the city, with a goal of replacing them over about 10 years.
DWSD's page also notes the split in ownership: the city owns the line from the main to the stop box (the shutoff valve near the front of the property), and the property owner owns the part from the stop box into the house. That's why DWSD needs owner or occupant permission. DWSD's materials warn that if you decline and DWSD leaves the neighborhood, replacing the line later may be at your expense.
Michigan's lead and copper rule
Michigan's revised Lead and Copper Rule (2018) requires community water supplies to replace all lead and GPCL service lines, on average 5% a year, with all replacements due by January 1, 2041 unless EGLE approves an alternate schedule. The full line must be replaced at the water supply's expense, regardless of ownership, and partial replacement is allowed only for emergency repairs. EGLE also notes the federal Lead and Copper Rule Improvements may shorten that timeline. Water supplies must notify homes served by lead, GPCL or unknown lines every year.
How to check your line
- Find where the water line enters your basement, usually on the front wall near the meter.
- Look at the pipe before the meter. Lead is dull gray, soft, and shows a shiny silver scratch if you gently scrape it with a key. It doesn't attract a magnet.
- Copper looks like a penny where scratched. Galvanized steel is gray, hard, and a magnet sticks to it.
- DWSD asks residents to photograph the line and submit its online self-verification form.
What this means if you're planning plumbing work
If you're replacing old galvanized pipe inside the house or remodeling a basement, find out what your service line is first. A licensed plumber can tie new interior piping to a replaced service line cleanly, and you avoid redoing work if DWSD comes through your block later. In the suburbs, contact your own city's water department; each of our area pages links to the local building department.
Frequently asked questions
Does Detroit pay to replace lead service lines?
DWSD says lead service line replacement under its program is at DWSD's expense, done neighborhood by neighborhood with the owner's or occupant's permission.
When is the deadline to replace lead lines in Michigan?
Michigan's rule sets January 1, 2041 for water supplies to replace all lead and GPCL service lines, unless EGLE approves an alternate schedule.
How can I tell if my service line is lead?
Scratch it gently: lead is soft, dull gray and turns shiny silver, and a magnet won't stick. Copper scratches to a penny color; galvanized is hard and magnetic.
Who owns the water service line in Detroit?
DWSD says the city owns the line from the main to the stop box, and the property owner owns the line from the stop box into the house.