If you own an older home in St. Louis, you may have heard that the pipe carrying water from the street into your house could be made of lead. Lead service lines were common in many older neighborhoods, and plenty of homeowners do not know what runs under their yard. You can get a useful answer yourself before calling anyone, and that answer shapes what you do next.
What a service line is
The service line is the pipe between the water main under the street and the point where water enters your home. In most St. Louis homes, it runs from the main to a shutoff valve near the property line, then continues to the house. Responsibility for the street side and the house side can differ, so confirm the split with your water provider. Lead is a soft, dull gray metal, and it looks different from copper or plastic when you inspect it. You do not need special equipment to begin.
Check your records first
Start with paperwork. Look for a past service inspection, a plumbing permit from a remodel, or a disclosure from when you bought the house. Your water provider may also keep records of the service material at your address, so ask them directly what they have on file. Write down the date, the department you reached, and the answer you received. A written reply is better than a memory of a phone call.
Inspect where the pipe enters the house
If records are missing or unclear, look where the supply pipe comes into the basement, crawl space, or utility room. Find the main shutoff valve first so you know how to stop water if you need to. Wipe a small section of the pipe clean and look at its color and surface.
- Lead is dull gray and soft. A key or coin can scratch it and leave a bright silver line.
- Copper is reddish-brown when clean and resists scraping. A scratch shows a bright copper color.
- Galvanized steel is gray and usually holds a magnet firmly.
- Plastic is commonly white, black, or blue and does not take a magnet or show a metallic scratch.
Scratch gently and do not scrape deeply or cut into the pipe. Wear gloves and wash your hands afterward. Check the pipe at a few points, since a line can change material partway along its run.
A scratch test is a clue, not a final answer. A short section of one material may connect to another, and coatings or corrosion can hide the true surface. If you still cannot tell, ask a licensed plumber to identify the material, or ask your water provider whether they will inspect the service line.
What to do with the answer
- If your records or inspection show copper, plastic, or galvanized steel, keep the documentation with your home papers and recheck if nearby street work or plumbing repairs happen.
- If the line is lead or you cannot tell, treat it as an open question and plan the next steps with your water provider and a plumber.
- If you want to know what is in your tap water, that is a separate step. Homeowners often test drinking water for lead because it is a metal that can enter water through old plumbing. Use a state-certified laboratory and follow its sampling instructions, which usually call for collecting water that has sat in the pipes overnight.
Do not replace or disturb a suspected lead line on your own. Work on service lines often involves the street side, permits, and coordination with the water provider. Your goal right now is simply to know what material you have, keep a written record, and choose the next step with accurate information. Homeowners in St. Louis who follow this order usually spend less time guessing and more time making a clear plan.