Water service lines are small pipes that carry water from the Passaic Valley Water Commission's water mains, located in the streets, into individual homes and other buildings.
For property owners with the meter in a pit outside the home, Passaic Valley Water Commission is responsible for the service line from the main in the street to the curb box in the sidewalk. The property owner is responsible for the service line from the curb box to the meter inside the home. The meter is typically located in the basement.
Service lines can be made of lead, galvanized steel, plastic, brass, copper, cast iron or ductile iron.
Lead was commonly used for water service lines until 1960 and in household plumbing fixtures and solder until 1986, when it was banned. From 1986 to 2014, plumbing fixtures could have up to 8% lead to be categorized as "lead free." However, current standards for "lead free" fixtures allow no more than 0.25% lead content.
Many homes and buildings, especially those built before 1986, may have service lines and/or internal plumbing and fixtures that are made of or contain lead.
Passaic Valley Water Commission is:
Lead can be found in paint, ceramics, pipes and plumbing materials, solders, gasoline, batteries, and cosmetics. Plumbing fixtures (faucets, valves, fittings, etc.), indoor copper plumbing pipes contain lead solder.
All lead exposure has risk. Therefore, there is no safe level of lead. In collaboration with their customers, Passaic Valley Water Commission will remove all lead service lines in their service area as soon as possible to protect customers' health and wellbeing.
Lead can get into drinking water from the plumbing inside your building or the service line between the street and your building. When water sits in the service line or your building's plumbing without being used for several hours, such as overnight, the lead may dissolve into the water.
When water leaves PVWC's water treatment plant, it is clean and lead-free. The water mains underground that transport water from the treatment plant do not add lead to the drinking water. Lead can get into drinking water from the service line between the street and your home, or from the lead solder used in the plumbing inside your home.
If you think you have lead solder, flush your system by running cold water for about 5 minutes whenever the water in your home has not been used for more than 6 hours. A licensed plumber can also replace pipes that have lead solder with lead-free pipes.
Yes! You can buy a National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) 53-certified water filtration system, which can be installed at the faucet, or a filter pitcher that will remove lead. Visit this website for more information about NSF filters and a list of certified filters.
First find the water meter, which measures the amount of water entering your home for daily use. The water meter is most likely in your basement. The water service line is the pipe coming out of your water meter that connects it to the water main in the street. For help finding the water service line, call Passaic Valley Water Commission at (973) 340-4300.
If you think your service line is made of lead, please contact the Passaic Valley Water Commission at (973) 340-4300 so we can confirm and take action. If your service line is lead or galvanized steel. Replacements are now REQUIRED by law.
Many homes and buildings, especially those built before 1986, may have service lines and/or internal plumbing and fixtures that are made of or contain lead. A licensed plumber can help figure out if you have lead material in your indoor plumbing. You can also use an EPA-approved lead test kit, such as:
Replacements are now REQUIRED by law.
A state-approved laboratory can test your water for lead. If the water testing results find lead levels at or greater than 15 parts per billion, contact Passaic Valley Water Commission at (973) 340-4300 to conduct an investigation. PVWC has the following state-approved laboratories:
Search for your address in the "Service Line Material Lookup Tool" feature on this website by clicking here. You can type in your address to learn about the service line material that is in PVWC's records.
You should replace your lead service line to protect your personal health and your family's health. No amount of lead is safe for humans to consume. Young children (under 6 years old) and the elderly can be more affected by lead exposure.
Replacements are now REQUIRED by law. Please contact Passaic Valley Water Commission at (973) 340-4300 to begin the process.
There are two ways to sign up for the Lead Service Line Replacement Program:
Please return your completed forms to: 1525 Main Avenue, Clifton NJ 07011
Passaic Valley Water Commission is prioritizing replacements based on the factors below:
After your lead service line is replaced, immediately perform the following steps to flush your home's plumbing:
Then, conduct a 30 minute flush every other week for three months.
You can download this guidance document(PDF, 11MB) for more detailed flushing instructions.
Yes, all residents of NJ, you are required by law to replace your lead or galvanized steel service line. Homeowners and tenants are allowed to register for the program.
Exposure to high levels of lead is a serious health risk. Lead builds up in the body over many years and can cause damage to the brain, red blood cells, and kidneys. The greatest risk is to young children, pregnant women, and unborn babies. Amounts of lead that will not harm adults can slow down the normal mental and physical development of children, particularly those under 6 years old.
You can take several actions to decrease your lead exposure, including:
DO NOT boil water to remove lead. Boiling water does not remove lead and can increase lead concentration in water.
Yes. Human skin does not absorb lead in water. Bathing and showering should be safe for you and your children, even if the water contains lead over EPA's action level.
You may want to consider purchasing bottled water or a water filter. If purchasing a water filter, read the packaging to be sure that the filter is approved to reduce lead. You can also contact NSF International at 800-NSF-8010 or visit their website here for information on performance standards for water filters. Be sure to maintain and replace a filter device in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions to protect water quality.