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Overview
Lead Free SPRWS is a 10-year plan to replace all lead water service lines in the SPRWS service area at no cost to property owners. Since 2022, the program has replaced nearly 4,500 lead service lines. In 2026, SPRWS will increase our efforts by aiming to replace 2,100 lead lines. SPRWS serves about 96,000 properties. Of those, about 17,000 (18%) have a lead service line and 4,500 (5%) have a service line that is of unknown material.
Check Your Service Line Material
Use our service line material map to search by address and see what we have on record for your property.
Eligible property owners can submit an intent form or provide contact details to stay informed about upcoming replacement opportunities.
What happens after I submit an intent form?
If your address is eligible, we will contact you to schedule next steps. Review the program steps page to see what to expect before, during, and after replacement
Lead Service Lines
Information about lead service lines, including how to identify your service line material, and steps to reduce potential exposure.
What is a water service line and who owns it?
Water service lines are pipes that carry water from the water mains in the street into homes/buildings. SPRWS owns the part of the water service lines from the main in the street to the property line (public side). Individual property owners own the part from the property line to the meter inside the home (private side).
How do I find out if I have a lead service line?
Look up your address in service line material map or call us at 651-266-6820.
What should I do if I have a lead service line?
SPRWS is committed to providing customers with high-quality, great tasting drinking water. Water leaves the treatment facility free of lead and travels through water mains that are not made of lead. Water is treated to minimize corrosion, but corrosion may occur when the water gets to an individual lead service line. Lead can get into drinking water from the service line between the street and your home and from the plumbing inside your home. SPRWS regularly tests drinking water lead levels in accordance with all federal and state drinking water standards. You can take measures including the following to minimize the effects of lead if you have a lead service line:
- Do not drink or cook with water that has collected in plumbing for more than six hours
- Clear water lines by running cold water for 3-5 minutes
- Run the water before you drink from any faucet in the house
- Use cold water for cooking, drinking, making baby formula
- Clean faucet aerators at least once per month
- Treat your water using a pitcher or filtration system that is NSF certified for lead
What does it mean if my service material says "unknown"?
"Unknown" means our records for your address do not show material type for the private side of your water service line. As part of this project, we will work to resolve all “unknowns” and ensure those with lead can take part. To have one of our technicians identify your service line material call our Meter Operations team at 651-266-6850 to schedule an appointment.
Want to learn more about lead and household water?
Visit our Lead and Household Water page for information about why lead is a problem, steps SPRWS takes to mitigate it, and lead testing for SPRWS customers.
Program Info
Answers to common questions about timing, eligibility, and options for replacement.
Is my property eligible this year?
Customers in eligible areas will be contacted directly and will have the opportunity to receive a lead service line replacement at no cost. Check the service line material map to see if your address is eligible for replacement during the current construction season.
When will my lead service line be replaced?
We are planning for all replacements to happen between 2023-2032. We prioritize and schedule replacements each year based on available funding, coordinated construction, and the concentrations of vulnerable and disadvantaged populations. We will contact customers directly when we are scheduling replacements in their area. To make sure we have the most up to date contact information for you, please call customer service at 651-266-6350.
Can I replace my lead service line now?'
Yes. Property owners can replace the part of the service line they own at any time using an outside contractor at their own expense. At this time, SPRWS funding and crews only apply to replacements within the Lead Free SPRWS program’s project zones. Saint Paul residents who choose to replace their own service line are eligible for our assessment program that assesses and collects the cost of service line replacement through property taxes. For more information, see the lead replacement packet.
Can I be reimbursed for a past replacement?
No. We cannot reimburse property owners for previously completed or assessed work. Funding is only available for work completed as part of the Lead Free SPRWS program after March 2022.
Program Approach
With 17,000 lead water service lines remaining to replace, construction and funding constraints require replacements to be organized and prioritized for efficiency and impact. We plan to make replacement decisions each year using the following factors:
- Maximizing cost efficiency of replacement and restoration by completing replacements before or during pre-planned water main replacement projects and street reconstruction projects.
- Providing timely replacements to areas of vulnerable and disadvantaged populations based on the number of children under five and socioeconomic information used by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). We refresh this information each year as new or updated information becomes available.
We expect it to take until at least 2032 to replace every lead water service line in our service area. You can replace your service line sooner at your own expense. Our assessment program for Saint Paul residents allows the costs of such replacement work to be assessed and collected through property taxes.
Funding and Rates
SPRWS is actively advocating and applying for public funding to cover the cost to replace all lead service lines. The City of Saint Paul committed $16M of American Rescue Plan funds in 2022 and 2023 to launch and support this project. SPRWS also expects to receive significant funding through the Federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the State of Minnesota Public Facilities Authority. Even with these funding sources, a significant deficit remains to fully remove lead service lines in our service area. We will continue to work to obtain additional funding to address this deficit. We are confident that with the support of state and federal funding we will be able to complete our goal of eliminating all lead water service lines.
There are no immediate plans to increase water rates to fund the Lead Free SPRWS project.
Due to current funding constraints, we are not able to provide a replacement date for every customer with a lead service line. Search for and click on your address in our service line material map to see if your service line is eligible for replacement during this year’s construction season.