The service line is the pipe from the City's main in the street to your meter, and in Philadelphia the homeowner owns all of it. PWD's lead page estimates about 1 in 20 Philadelphia properties may have a lead service line.
What the map is telling you
PWD looks at two sections of the line: main to curb stop (the part under the street and sidewalk) and curb stop to meter (the part closest to your house). The curb stop is a shutoff valve near the edge of the property. To call a line non-lead, PWD has to confirm the material at two points, because a line can be copper at the meter and still lead under the sidewalk.
That's why most Philadelphia homes show "incomplete records," which used to be labeled "unknown." PWD checked the pipe at the meter at hundreds of thousands of homes during meter upgrades, but that's only one point. Its FAQ says to treat an incomplete record as possibly lead. It doesn't mean PWD found lead.
Check the pipe at your meter
PWD's service line check page walks through it:
Find the meter, usually in the basement on the wall closest to the street, and the pipe that comes through that wall into it.
Scratch the pipe lightly with a key or coin. Don't use a knife, and don't dig into the pipe. If it's painted, PWD says you can use sandpaper to expose the metal.
Shiny copper, like a new penny, is probably copper. White, blue or another non-metal color is likely plastic. Silver means lead or galvanized steel.
If it's silver, hold a magnet to it. A magnet sticks to galvanized steel but not to lead.
You can send PWD a photo of what you found through the reporting form on that page. If you can't tell, or the pipe is boxed in or corroded, a licensed plumber can identify it.
PWD doesn't recommend digging up the buried section just to learn what it's made of. Its FAQ notes the advice is the same either way: flush, filter or replace. If you still want to know, a private plumber can check at your expense.
Pipe material and water test results are separate questions
PWD offers free tap-water tests for customers worried about lead, which you can request from its lead page. A test tells you what came out of your tap that day. It doesn't tell you what the service line is made of, so a low result isn't proof the line is non-lead. Lead can also come from faucets, solder and fittings inside the house.
For a lead, galvanized or incomplete-record line, PWD recommends:
Run the cold tap for 3 to 5 minutes whenever water has sat for 6 hours or more, such as first thing in the morning. A rowhome close to the street can use the shorter end, PWD's FAQ says, and one faucet is enough.
Use only cold water for drinking, cooking and baby formula.
Clean faucet aerators by soaking them in vinegar and scrubbing with an old toothbrush, since they can trap lead.
If you filter, use one certified by NSF for lead reduction and follow its replacement schedule. Boiling doesn't remove lead.
If the line is lead: your replacement options
PWD's 2025 fact sheets put typical private replacement at about $6,000 to $12,000, depending partly on how far the meter is from the main. Before paying that yourself, check three things.
First, free replacement with a main project. When PWD replaces the water main on your block, it replaces known lead or galvanized service lines for free, with the owner's permission. That only covers about 1% of the City's mains each year.
Second, the replacement pilot. PWD's pilot program replaces lead and galvanized lines free at eligible properties. Phase 1 covers ZIP codes 19133, 19134 and 19140, with the program starting in August 2026. Phase 2 covers 19104, 19131, 19139, 19142, 19143, 19151 and 19153, starting late 2026. Owners elsewhere can sign up to be contacted if it expands. Only the owner can sign the permission form.
Third, the HELP loan. The City's Homeowner's Emergency Loan Program gives zero-interest loans to replace a service line confirmed as lead, and you don't need a Notice of Defect. You get 60 months to repay through your water bill, and you have to agree to a lien on the property. The property must be residential with four or fewer units and an operable meter, and you can't be more than two billing cycles behind. PWD's fact sheet notes that incomplete records don't qualify, so checking the pipe at your meter and reporting it can matter. Our guide to who pays for a leaking service line covers how HELP works for leak repairs too.
Hiring a plumber for the replacement
Ask for a written quote that replaces the whole line from the main to the meter, says what digging and sidewalk restoration is included, and lists any interior pipe work separately. Philadelphia's plumbing permit page says private water service work is filed through a Site Work / Utility Permit and a licensed master plumber must oversee it. Ask who pulls the permit and schedules inspections. More in our Philadelphia plumbing permit guide and other plumbing guides.