Baltimore will begin notifying residents if their properties use lead, galvanized water lines

Property owners in Baltimore will soon be notified if their home or business uses lead or galvanized water lines, according to the Department of Public Works (DPW).

The move is part of DPW's effort to update and improve the city's inventory of water service lines, in accordance with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Lead and Copper Rule Revisions. The revisions were established in 2021 and required all utility companies to complete an inventory and develop a plan to replace lead pipes by October 2024.

The notification letters will be mailed to property owners and will provide confirmation about the material of their service line and steps that they can take to reduce their exposure to lead.

Property owners who have an unknown service line material will be asked to complete DPW's online reporting survey.

Lead pipes in Baltimore 

An initial inventory was completed in October 2024, and since then, DPW said it has made progress in identifying the lead and galvanized lines.

Water service lines connect a property to the water main and carry water to faucets, toilets and other fixtures. 

As of September, DPW identified 9,193 lead service lines, representing nearly 2% of all lines. The department also said it identified 459 galvanized pipes that need to be replaced, and 58,508 lines that use unknown material, which represents nearly 13% of all service lines. 

Using predictive modeling, DPW is working to estimate the material of water lines without excavating them, allowing minimal disturbance for property owners. The department said it has classified more than 150,000 service lines using this method.

What happens if you have lead pipes? 

According to DPW, there is no reason to panic if it is determined that your pipes are made of lead, as the city balances the chemistry of drinking water to prevent corrosion in pipes. 

Lead can enter drinking water when plumbing materials corrode. However, according to DPW, decades of water samples have shown that Baltimore's water chemistry does not corrode lead pipes. 

Find more information about Baltimore's lead pipe effort here.