What is a water service?
A water pipe, also known as a water service is the pipe delivering water to each residence in the City. The water pipe can be thought of in two sections: the first section, running from the watermain to the property line is owned and maintained by the City; the second section, running from the property line into the house is the responsibility of the homeowner.
In homes built prior to the mid-1950s, the water pipe may have been constructed from lead. Lead was a common plumbing material at that time until the Ontario plumbing code was updated to prohibit its use in the mid-1950s.
Replacing the just one portion of the water pipe (referred to as a "partial replacement") cannot fully address concerns about lead in your drinking water.
The City of Toronto encourages homeowners to replace the private side of lead water pipe before or after the City-owned portion is being replaced, or at the same time if the same City contractor is being hired by homeowners. Full replacement of the lead water pipe is the only way to effectively reduce lead in your drinking water.