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In 2021, the city of Chicago has initiated a program called the Lead Service Line Replacement (LSLR) plan designed to fast track the replacement of the city’s nearly 400,000 lead service lines. If you are a homeowner in Chicago, you need to know what this program is about and how to take advantage of incentives being offered by the city to replace your lead service line. Same goes for landlords and property owners, says EvolveNV.

What is the Lead Service Line Replacement (LSLR) plan?

A service line is a pipe that carries water from the city’s main water supply in the street to your home. The pipe runs underground from your home, across the lawn, and underneath the city sidewalk until it reaches the water main below the street.

Why does the city want you to replace your service line?

Only service lines made of lead are being replaced. This is because of the health hazard posed by exposure to the lead in these pipes. Even the lowest level of lead exposure has been shown to adversely affect the IQ of children and their attention spans.

Although most lead poisoning happens via contact with lead-based paint or lead-contaminated dust, lead may also leach into drinking water from the lead service line. Since there is no identified safe level for lead exposure, the best way to prevent this issue is to replace the lead water lines on your Chicago property.

How will you know if you have a lead service line?

If your house or two-flat building was built before 1986 and the water service has never been replaced during renovation, there is a big chance the water service line is made of lead. If you are not sure, here is a simple test to identify the material in your water service line.

Step one: Locate the water meter or shutoff valve in your home. The service line typically enters through the basement before it connects to the meter. If you can’t find the meter, use the shutoff valve.
Step two: Hold a magnet to the pipe to check if it is magnetic.
Step three: Scratch the pipe with a coin or key to see the color of the material.

The pipe should be made of one of these materials:

Copper: Copper is not magnetic. It has a shiny orange appearance and is quite common in Chicago.
Galvanized steel: Steel is magnetic. It is silver-gray and is no longer used in new construction.
Lead: Lead is not magnetic. It has a shiny silver-gray color and is not used in new construction.
PVC: PVC plastic is not magnetic. It is typically white and is rarely used in Chicago.

What does replacing a water service line entail?

Replacing the water service line is a labor-intensive process that involves digging a trench from your home to the street, up to the point where the service line connects to the water main. After the trench is dug, the old lead line is replaced with a new copper service line. A water meter is also installed to help you save money on any spiking water bills.

a water lead line replacement taking place in chicago.

Replacing the water service line is a labor-intensive process that involves digging a trench from your home to the street, up to the point where the service line connects to the water main.

Will the City of Chicago help with your lead service line replacement?

To assist as many homeowners as possible with their lead service line replacement, the city of Chicago is accepting applications for the Equity Lead Service Line Replacement Program. Under the program, homeowners are eligible for free lead service line replacement plus a free water meter, if:

They live in a home they own.
Have a child under 18 years old living in the home, or
Their water has elevated lead level as shown by a free test by the Department of Water Management, and
The household income is 80% below the area median income, which is $74,550 for a family of 4.

But for homeowners who do not meet the criteria, the city still offers incentives. These are for homeowners who hire a private contractor to replace their lead service line and the incentives are available in the form of waivers and freebies. Commercial and mixed-use residential/commercial properties are not eligible for this. Here is how it works.

The homeowner will pay for the lead service line replacement (LSLR).

The city will subsidize the standard permits, allowing homeowners to save as much as $3,100.
The city will attach the new service line to the water main free of charge and provide a free water meter for the home (if there is none).

But to qualify, this must be a standalone project, and not part of a home renovation or expansion. Additionally, the contractor must be licensed.

When selecting a contractor for LSLR, homeowners are encouraged to follow the below process:

Contact three licensed Chicago plumbers to request quotes and qualifications information.
The plumber should visit the home to confirm service line material and other details.
The plumber should have an Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Plumbing Contractor License Number and must be on the list of City of Chicago-Licensed Plumbing Contractors.
The plumber should be able to provide a list of 3-5 addresses where they have acquired a City of Chicago Department of Buildings permit for residential LSLR (with details of those projects).

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Interested in replacing your lead water lines in the City of Chicago? Contact us Below!

The main water line is the primary pipe that supplies all the water you use for your various household needs. It carries water from the public supply into your home. This pipe is usually buried around three feet deep in the yard, so most times you don’t even know it’s there.

For most homeowners, says Innovative Property Solutions, the only time they think of the main water line is when they need to turn off the water supply to the whole house. Because this part of the home’s plumbing system is largely out of sight, it tends to get overlooked during maintenance.

But the main water line is the most important part of your home’s plumbing. Without it, you couldn’t use many of the appliances in your home nor could you maintain personal hygiene. This is why you want to stay up-to-speed with the condition of the main water line.

Common main water line problems

Age

Aging pipes are more susceptible to damage. Accumulated wear and tear may result in the collapse of the main water line. If your home was built before 1960, you may have lead or galvanized water lines. These pipes are dangerous and prone to corrosion.

Soil movements

Upward, downward, or sideways soil movements will exert pressure on pipes. Shifting soils will force the pipe out of place or out of shape and this can happen slowly over a period of time.

Changing water pressure

High water pressure is the main culprit here and it is a bigger problem with aging pipes. Sudden changes in pressure may cause the pipes to burst. Low pressure is also a problem because it leads to increased sedimentation inside the pipes.

Sediment buildup

This can result from mineral buildup. If the water in your area is hard, the mineral content will be deposited in the pipes as the water passes through. Over time, the pipe becomes narrower and more likely to burst under pressure or get clogged.

Tree root damage

Tree roots can penetrate the main water line and block it. A tree root can also wrap itself around the pipe and choke it, reducing, or cutting off the water supply. Tree roots will typically do this only when there is a leak in the pipe.

Human error

If the main water line was poorly installed, it will be prone to damage. This problem usually doesn’t show up immediately after the pipe is installed. Pipes can also get damaged by digging such as when installing a sprinkler system in the yard.

Past repairs

If the main water line has been repaired in the past, there is a chance that future problems will occur around those areas that were repaired. This can happen even if the repair was properly done.

There is a lot that can happen to damage the main water lines in your home. But you cannot tell what is causing the problem until you dig down to the pipes. Fixing main water issues can be tedious and costly; you don’t want to do it more than once.

This is why it is essential to know when problems call for the replacement of the main water line. How can you tell when there are problems with the main water line and when it is time to replace the pipes?

Signs of damage to the main water line

Low water pressure

A break in your main water line will cause a drop in overall water pressure.

A break in your main water line will cause a drop in overall water pressure. The severity of the problem depends on the extent of the damage. A small leak may not be noticeable. However, any decrease in water pressure should be investigated at once. Even if it is a major leak, you may not notice because the pipe is encased in soil which seals the leak. Sedimentation will also cause drops in water pressure.

Poor water quality

This could be discoloration due to the presence of debris that has seeped into the water from the surrounding soil. It could also be from mineral sediments in the pipes. If the water has a yellowish appearance, foul odor, or a gritty texture, you need to check your main water line. This problem will often happen alongside a drop in water pressure.

Water-logged front yard

If the front yard is inexplicably soggy – the water is not coming from your sprinkler and it has not rained – your main water line is most likely leaking. Sometimes the problem is so bad you will see water bubbling up to the surface of the lawn.

Spiking utility bills

When your water bill increases suddenly and there is no reason for it, it means there is a leak in your plumbing system. If you check the plumbing inside the home and the basement but can’t find the leak, the problem is probably located underground in your main water lines.

For any of these issues, you need to call a professional plumber asap. Only after the pipes have been uncovered can you determine the extent of the problem to know if you should replace your main water line or not.

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Replacing Your Lead Water Service Line in Chicago