Beginning in January 2024, water systems that own part of the service line must facilitate a full LSL replacement when a customer notifies the water system that the customer’s portion of the LSL will be replaced. The requirement is designed to ensure that the full LSL is replaced.

The system must provide the same information as required when a water system initiates a full replacement of a publicly owned portion of the service.  Likewise, the system must provide a pitcher filter and six-months supply of replacement filter cartridges.  The system must respond in a timely fashion regardless of whether the replacement is anticipated or if it has occurred in the past six-months.  The system is charged with making a good faith effort to coordinate a simultaneous replacement but recognizing this may not be possible, a 45-day window is provided. 

​There is the prospect that even 45 days will not provide an adequate timeframe for completing the replacement (e.g., winter months in northern climes), and in these instances 180 days is allowed assuming notification of the state by the system. 
Opportunities to Accelerate Replacement
Customers may initiate replacement in a variety of situations including when they:
  • Receive a notice they have an LSL;
  • Determine that an unknown line is actually an LSL;
  • Seek a building permit and are told they have an LSL;
  • When they are expecting a child or have young children present; or
  • Asked by potential buyer or tenant to replace the LSL.
Communities may consider:
  • Coordinating permitting to facilitate timely processing for field work to occur.
  • Preparing for surges of requests when lead in drinking water receives media attention, such as may occur when sampling shows a trigger or action level is exceeded.
  • Developing databases to capture communication with customers, dates and potential delays that can be used for regulatory reporting. (Customers may delay the project due to other planned work, such as landscaping or basement renovations, so the start dates may change.)
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