Steps to Minimize Lead Release during

​ Replacement

A continuum of steps is often discussed for minimizing lead release during lead service line replacement. 

Action	Purpose	Pros	Cons
​Closing the house water shutoff valve prior to work beginning	Eliminate flow of debris into the home’s plumbing	Effective when conducting a full replacement	Not effective when conducting a temporary partial replacement and requires access to home plumbing
​Full service line replacement with no additional measures beyond closing water shutoff valve	Full replacement eliminates source of lead (though other sources of lead may exist in home plumbing)	​Avoids uncertainty associated with other measures and may be adequate	Requires access to home plumbing
Provision of POU filter certified to remove lead as per NSF 53	To remove lead in the drinking water	Easy to obtain and cost effective	Finite timeframe for effectiveness, filters must be discarded at end of service life or exposure to lead may increase, and relies on household to use filter
Use of bottled water for consumption immediately following replacement	​To eliminate exposure for short time period when lead levels may increase	Easy to obtain	May require additional staff or overtime to distribute (if provided by community) and voucher fraud / theft (if provided by community)
Flushing service after replacement by (utility and plumber)	​ Housekeeping practice	​Actively remove debris from construction activity	Supporting data is largely drawn from partial lead service line experience, requires access to home or reliance flushing from an available outside faucet, need to establish a suitable flushing protocol, and challenging in areas experiencing drought
Installation of a non-conductive plastic coupling	Reduce potential for galvanic corrosion	​Eliminating contact between lead and copper reduces potential for lead release (only pertinent when lead pipe remains in use)	History of high failure rate in service line installations, need electrician to review electrical grounding and bonding practice, and grounding rods may be needed