The City’s goal is to have all lead services replaced by 2041 or in accordance with the City’s Water/Sewer Comprehensive Master Plan. However, in October 2024, the EPA introduced new regulations requiring cities to complete lead service line replacements within 10 years. Michigan is expected to review and adopt this change in the coming years.
The City will replace your lead service line at no cost when:
- There is a leak on the lead water service line.
- Your home is within the limits of a city construction project.
- Your home is within an EPA funded project (Replacements are scheduled to be completed by March 2025).
Tenants and property owners will receive a letter, door hanger, or call informing them of their upcoming lead service line replacement and steps on how to begin the process.
If your home is in the following Neighborhoods, you may qualify for an EPA-funded private lead line replacement:
- Baxter
- Martin Luther King Park
- South Hill
- Madison Area
To find out if your home is scheduled for a lead service line replacement within the next 24 months, visit the Road Construction Map, search for your address, or email us at leadfreewater@grcity.us.
If your lead service line is not scheduled to be replaced at this time and you still want to have your lead service line replaced, you are responsible for paying for the replacement. Property owners can apply for the Voluntary Lead Line Replacement/Ten-Pay Program to spread the cost over ten years.
Water service leaks on the private or public side of lead service lines qualify as emergencies. Negligent actions by the homeowner or contractor disqualify the service from a City-sponsored replacement.
Reported water service leaks must occur after 3/28/2017.
The City will replace these lead service lines at no cost to the owner. You'll need to sign a Water Service Agreement before work begins on your property. We'll coordinate the repairs and work with an approved City contractor/plumber to replace the line.
Report a Leak
Contact us at 311 or 616.456.3000. Say that you have a water leak on a suspected lead water line, and we will help you through the process.
Property owners will be notified by phone, mail, or door hangers about upcoming City projects on their street. Before work can begin, the City needs permission to complete the work, and property owners must sign a Water Service Agreement. This agreement will be included in the mailer along with further instructions.
Once the project begins, a plumbing contractor will contact the property owner to schedule this work at no cost. They will need a few hours in the basement. Typically, they can install the new water pipe underground with minimal disruption to your yard. They will repair any damage caused by their work.
In 2020, the City received a $5.1 million grant from the EPA to replace private lead service lines. Thanks to this funding, 1,646 private lead service lines have been replaced in the Neighborhoods of Focus.
The City will continue using the grant to replace private lead service lines until March 2025 or until the funds are fully spent.
Property owners will be notified by letter, door hanger, or phone call about their upcoming private lead service line replacement. Before work can begin, the City needs permission to complete the work, and property owners must sign a Water Service Agreement. This agreement will be included in the mailer along with further instructions.
More Info
The City will replace the lead service line on the public side at no cost, and you are responsible for paying for the private side of the service. You can use a Ten-Pay program to spread the cost over ten years and pay a small interest rate.
apply or LEARN MORE
Contact us at 616-456-3041