How to Determine Your Service Line Material

Please follow this video from the New York State Department of Health.

What You Will Need:

• Magnet (A refrigerator magnet will do)
• Screwdriver or coin (To gently scratch your pipe)
• Flashlight

Note: If the pipe material entering your home through the basement wall or floor is corroded or in poor condition, only perform a magnet test on the pipe. If your service is not made of metal, it is most likely plastic.

Step 1 - Locate your Pipe
Find your water meter and the pipe part connected to the ground or wall. This pipe comes in from the street and will be the focus of the test.

Step 2 - Test the pipe

First, visually inspect your pipe to see if it is plastic. If your pipe is a bright blue color with a smooth finish and flexible, you have plastic which is resistant to corrosion. You do not need a pipe replacement.

If the pipe is brownish-orange in color, like a penny, or has turned green over time due to oxidation, and your magnet will not stick to it, you have a copper pipe. You do not need a pipe replacement.

If your pipe appears metallic check to see if your magnet can stick to the pipe, If the magnet sticks, you have a galvanized steel pipe. Your pipe will need to be replaced.

Use the penny or screwdriver to gently scratch the surface of the pipe to remove any coatings or dirt to reveal the material underneath. If your pipe is dark in color, is very soft, and easy to scratch, and the scratched surface looks shiny and silvery, and your magnet will not stick to it, you likely have a lead pipe and it will need to be replaced.

Step 3 - Report your pipe type
You can report your service line material using this form or by contacting our office.