Lead pipe replacement in Roanoke, VA

Lead pipe replacement swaps an old lead or galvanized water service line for copper or plastic pipe. In the Western Virginia Water Authority's area, the utility owns the public side and the homeowner owns the line from the meter to the house. Call 540-200-2302 to get connected with a licensed plumber for the private side.

Check your service line first

The Western Virginia Water Authority publishes a Water Service Line Inventory map you can search by address. It lists each line as lead, non-lead, galvanized requiring replacement, or unknown.

The Authority says it has found no lead lines on the public side so far. If your listing is "unknown," you can submit your pipe material through its self-reporting tool. Search the service line inventory.

How to tell if a pipe is lead

Look at the pipe where it enters your home, usually near the main shutoff. Lead pipe is dull gray, soft, and shows a shiny silver scratch when you scrape it gently with a key. A magnet won't stick to it. Galvanized steel is also gray but a magnet will stick.

Image placeholder: service-line-entry.webp1200×800 · Where the water service line comes through a basement wall, with the shutoff valve visible

What replacement involves

• Confirming the pipe material and the route of the line.
• Replacing the line from the meter to the house, by trench or trenchless methods where suitable.
• Reconnecting at the meter and inside the house, then flushing the lines.

Coordinate with the Water Authority if work touches the meter. Ask contractors whether permits are included.

Lead pipes inside the home

Lead can also be in older solder and fixtures. If you're concerned about lead in drinking water, the utility and the Virginia Department of Health are the right places to ask about testing.

Common questions