what is a service line?
Service lines are the pipes that transport water from the water main in the street into homes.
What does it take to replace
a lead service line?
Replacing a lead service line with a new copper service means running the new line from the water main in the street all the way into the house. There are two ways that can be done. With open trench replacements, a trench is dug from the home through the parkway to install the new service and access the water main. Trenchless construction runs the new service to the main underground, causing less disturbance to the surrounding area. The type of procedure performed will depend on several factors specific to each replacement.
CITY-ASSISTED LEAD SERVICE LINE REPLACEMENT PROGRAMS
If you live in a house or two-flat built before 1986, there is a high likelihood that your water service line is made of lead unless it was replaced during renovation or an addition.
Service lines are the pipes that transport water from the water main in the street into homes. As the first step in a multi-year effort to remove all Chicago's lead lines, the City is offering two voluntary lead service line replacement programs.
ck here.
programs
equity lead service line replacemEnt
Homeowners who meet income requirements may be eligible for a completely free full lead service line replacement- a $16,000-$30,000 value!
homeowner-initiated replacement program
If a homeowner wants to hire a contractor and remove the full existing lead service line, the City will waive up to $5,000 in permit fees.
daycare lead service line replacement
The City is offering free lead line replacement to licensed daycares in prioritized neighborhoods across the city. The Chicago Department of Water Management proactively reaches out to daycares that qualify.
In addition to these voluntary programs,
beginning in January 2023
a a new state law bans partially replacing lead service lines. Instead, a lead service line must always be completely replaced. This means both the private and public side. The following programs are designed to meet this new requirement.
breaks and leaks replacement program
If your service line breaks or leaks and must be repaired, it is now mandatory to call 311 to report it. The Department of Water Management will then contact you and schedule a time to replace both the private and public sides of the line for free.
block-long
REPLACEMENT PROGRAM
As the Department of Water Management performs scheduled maintenance on aging water and sewer mains, it may be necessary to replace any lead service lines impacted by that work. This work will be done for free.
To see which programs you might qualify for,
click here.
Equity Lead Service Line Replacement Program
Under this program, you may be eligible for a free lead service line replacement all the way from the water main into your home plus installation of a free water meter to save money on your water bills if:
- Have a household income below 80% of the area median income ($83,350 for a family of 4). More info
here
- Live in a home that you own.
Priority replacement will be given to residents who also have kids 18 and under in their home or have had elevated lead in their water as determined by free testing done by the Department of Water Management.
Equity Replacement Program
HAVE KIDS 18 & UNDER OR GET YOUR WATER TESTED
Call 311 or sign up on
chicagowaterquality.org
to request a free test for lead.
Determine Income Eligibility
Submit application documenting household income and home ownership to see if you qualify. Complete the online
application
or
the application form.
NOTE: Your application is not considered complete until all the documents have been submitted.
Construction Coordination
Once approved for a free service line, meet with the City-provided Contractor to learn about how the work will done and then agree to the work.
Complete  LSLR
The City-provided Contractor will complete the LSLR and, if necessary, the meter installation. A City Inspector will review the installation, and Water Management staff will connect the new service line into the water main. Flush your water per
instructions
. Using filters that are NSF-53 certified to remove lead is recommended for the first three months after any construction work.
Follow-Up Water Testing
Receive free follow-up lead testing of your water by calling 311 or going to
chicagowaterquality.org
This program is now accepting applications. Complete the
online
application
or
download the application
form.
For a list of supporting documents you will need, click
here
Note: Applications are not considered complete until all the documentation has been submitted. Completed applications will be processed in the order they are received.
Request a free water test kit
here
Homeowner-Initiated Program
If a residential homeowner wants to hire a contractor and remove the existing lead service line, the City of Chicago is launching a program to waive the permit fees for the project. This could amount to a savings of up to $3,100. Additionally, the City will attach the new service line to the water main and provide a free water meter for the contractor to install, if there isn't already one in place. To qualify, the request for the fee waiver must be a standalone and not made in conjunction with a home renovation or expansion.
Commercial and mixed use residential/commercial locations are not eligible at this time.
Homeowner-Initiated Program
Verify service  line material
Determine if you have a lead service line.
Check your service line for lead
provides a few easy steps to determine if your service line is lead.
Permit Fee Waiver
The contractor will notify Department of Buildings that this is a LSLR project eligible for permit fee waivers. *Contractors can upload their documents (water bill, picture of property, CDOT permit) to the Department of Buildings
here.
* Additional permits and permit fees may be required from other agencies, such as IDOT, depending on the location of the home.
Construction Coordination
Meet with the contractor prior to commencing work to review how the work will be done and how much restoration will be performed.
Complete  LSLR
The contractor will complete the LSLR and meter installation, if necessary. A City Inspector will review the installation, and Water Management Staff will connect the new service line into the water main. Flush your water per
instructions
. Using filters that are NSF-53 certified to remove lead is recommended for the first three months after any construction work.
Follow-Up Water Testing
Receive free follow-up lead testing of your water by calling 311 or going to
chicagowaterquality.org
to have a kit mailed to you.
Select your own plumber or refer to the list of plumbing contractors licensed to work in Chicago
here
. A list of suggested questions you may want to ask when choosing a plumbing contractor
here
This program is accepting
applications
Lead Service Line Replacement
What does it take to replace a lead service line?
Replacing a service line requires digging down to the water main in the street and installing a new copper service line from the main all the way into the house. It does require excavating a trench to reach the line which usually runs from the house under the lawn and the parkway out to the street. When the trench is open, the old lead line will be removed and a new copper service line will be installed and a water meter will need to be installed if there was not already one there to help save money on water bills.
Typical Water Service Line Diagram
CITY-ASSISTED LEAD SERVICE LINE REPLACEMENT PROGRAMS
If you live in a house or two-flat built before 1986, there is a high likelihood that your water service line is made of lead unless it was replaced during renovation or an addition.
Chicago has commissioned an ongoing technical report to help us to replace the city’s almost 400,000 lead service lines over time that transport water from the water main in the street into homes. Meanwhile, the City has announced two new lead service line replacement programs for homeowners who would like to replace their lead service lines.
Homeowner-Initiated Program
If a residential homeowner wants to hire a contractor and remove the existing lead service line, the City of Chicago is launching a program to waive the permit fees for the project. This could amount to a savings of up to $3,100. Additionally, the City will attach the new service line to the water main and provide a free water meter for the contractor to install, if there isn't already one in place. To qualify, the request for the fee waiver must be a standalone and not made in conjunction with a home renovation or expansion.
Commercial and mixed use residential/commercial locations are not eligible at this time.
Homeowner-Initiated Program
Verify service  line material
Determine if you have a lead service line.
Check your service line for lead
provides a few easy steps to determine if your service line is lead.
Permit Fee Waiver
The contractor will notify Department of Buildings that this is a LSLR project eligible for permit fee waivers. *Contractors can upload their documents (water bill, picture of property, CDOT permit) to the Department of Buildings
here.
* Additional permits and permit fees may be required from other agencies, such as IDOT, depending on the location of the home.
Construction Coordination
Meet with the contractor prior to commencing work to review how the work will be done and how much restoration will be performed.
Complete  LSLR
The contractor will complete the LSLR and meter installation, if necessary. A City Inspector will review the installation, and Water Management Staff will connect the new service line into the water main. Flush your water per
instructions
. Using filters that are NSF-53 certified to remove lead is recommended for the first three months after any construction work.
Follow-Up Water Testing
Receive free follow-up lead testing of your water by calling 311 or going to
chicagowaterquality.org
to have a kit mailed to you.
Select your own plumber or refer to the list of plumbing contractors licensed to work in Chicago
here
. A list of suggested questions you may want to ask when choosing a plumbing contractor
here
This program is accepting
applications
Equity Lead Service Line Replacement Program
Under this program, you may be eligible for a free lead service line replacement all the way from the water main into your home plus installation of a free water meter to save money on your water bills if:
Live in a home you own.
Have a household income below 80% of the area median income ($72,800 for a family of 4). More info
here
Have consistent results of at least 15 parts per billion of lead in your water in free testing done by the Department of Water Management.
Equity Replacement Program
Determine Income Eligibility
Submit application documenting household income and home ownership to see if you qualify. Complete the online
application
or
the application form.
Construction Coordination
Once approved for a free service line, meet with the City-provided Contractor to learn about how the work will done and then agree to the work.
Complete  LSLR
The City-provided Contractor will complete the LSLR and, if necessary, the meter installation. A City Inspector will review the installation, and Water Management staff will connect the new service line into the water main. Flush your water per
instructions
. Using filters that are NSF-53 certified to remove lead is recommended for the first three months after any construction work.
Follow-Up Water Testing
Receive free follow-up lead testing of your water by calling 311 or going to
chicagowaterquality.org
If you are interested in this program but have not already had your water tested, request a free water test kit
here
This program is now accepting applications. Complete the
online application
or
download the application
form.
Once a reviewer has received and reviewed your application, you will be contacted to provide supporting documentation.  For a list of supporting documents you will need, click
here
. An online portal for submission of documents is expected to launch in April 2021 so check back soon!
MORE TO COME
Chicago is exploring additional programs for those residents who wish to replace their service lines but do not qualify for the Homeowner-Initiated or Equity Programs.
New programs and services will be announced here when they become available.