Federal law banned the installation of lead service lines and lead solder in 1986. If your home and its service line were constructed after this ban was fully implemented (typically by 1988), your service line is considered non-lead and non-galvanized. To determine if your home built before 1988 has lead water piping, follow the instructions below.
1. Check if your home's service line material is listed.
Look up your address using the online mapping tool below to see if your service line material is already listed.
- Enter your address in the search field located in the upper right and press enter.
- Your property on the map will be highlighted and will display the Utility Side Material (city-owned) and Private Side Material (customer-owned) to the left of the map.
- The Utility Side Material (city-owned) is the responsibility of the City of Raleigh. We are working on plans to identify and replace any lead service lines and some galvanized steel lines that require replacement.
- If it’s identified as something like copper or PVC, or it says “Known Not Lead,” great news! That means it’s not lead. A “Known Not Lead” designation means we don’t know the exact material, but your home was built after 1986 or we have records showing it’s not lead. North Carolina banned lead service lines back in 1986, so it's pretty unlikely your home has one.
2. If listed as "unknown", check your Home Inspection Report
Before you start, check if you still have your Home Inspection Report. Your inspector might have already identified your service line and even snapped a photo. That would be a great starting point!
3. Run a scratch and magnet test
- Find where the water pipe enters your home. This is usually located in a basement, crawlspace, or utility closet, often near your water meter or main shut-off valve.
- Identify the pipe material using two simple household tools: a refrigerator magnet and a coin (like a penny or a quarter). Scratch the pipe with the coin and test if the magnet sticks to the pipe. Refer to the chart below for results.
| Pipe Material | Scratch Test Result | Magnet Test Result |
| Lead | Scratches easily; looks like a shiny silver coin. | Does not stick to the pipe. |
| Galvanized Steel | Hard to scratch; remains a dull gray color. | Sticks firmly to the pipe. |
| Copper | Scratches to reveal a bright orange/penny color. | Does not stick to the pipe. |
| Plastic (PVC/PEX) | Usually white, blue, or black; no metallic shine. | Does not stick to the pipe. |
4. Report your findings
Once you know your pipe type, help Raleigh Water complete our community map! Reporting your results takes less than five minutes and helps us ensure our records for your neighborhood are accurate. Simple email customercare@raleighnc.gov with your name, address, and pipe type.
Please note: While we have not found any lead pipes in our service area to date, we are here to support you. If your pipe is identified as lead or galvanized steel, don't worry, we will provide clear next steps on managing your water use and discuss potential replacement options with you.