Partial lead service line replacement: why replacing only half can make things worse
Updated November 2, 2026
Is partial lead service line replacement allowed?
Under EPA's Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, utilities must replace full lead lines, and partial replacements are largely prohibited except in narrow cases such as emergency repairs. Several states, including Illinois, already ban them.
A partial replacement swaps out only one side of a lead service line, usually the utility side, and leaves lead pipe on the other. For years this was common. Research and new rules have turned against it.
Why partial replacement is a problem
- Lead spikes after the work. Cutting and digging shakes loose lead scale inside the remaining pipe. Studies, including a review by EPA's Science Advisory Board, found lead levels can jump for weeks or months afterward.
- New joints can corrode. Joining new copper to old lead can cause galvanic corrosion at the connection, which releases more lead over time.
- No reliable long-term benefit. The same review found partial replacement did not reliably lower lead at the tap over the long run.
What the rules say now
EPA's Lead and Copper Rule Improvements require full replacement of lead and galvanized-requiring-replacement lines and largely prohibit partial replacements, with narrow exceptions such as emergency repairs. When a lead line is disturbed or replaced, the utility has to give the household a lead-certified filter and follow-up information. Several states moved first: Illinois has banned most partial replacements since 2022, and Michigan, New Jersey and Rhode Island require utilities to replace the whole line.
If you are offered a partial replacement
- Ask whether the utility has a program to replace your side at the same time, free or with a cost share. Most large programs now do.
- If you will pay for your side, get a quote before the utility crew arrives so both sides can be done together.
- If a partial does happen, use a filter certified to NSF/ANSI 53 for drinking and cooking for at least several months, flush the lines, and ask for a follow-up lead test.
If your side was already replaced
Homeowners who replaced their own side years ago sometimes still have lead on the utility side. Check the inventory map. If the utility side shows lead, ask when it is scheduled, since the utility is now required to replace it.
Sources: EPA: Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, EPA Science Advisory Board: partial lead service line replacement, Illinois 415 ILCS 5/17.12
Common questions
Is partial lead service line replacement allowed?
Under EPA's Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, utilities must replace full lead lines, and partial replacements are largely prohibited except in narrow cases such as emergency repairs. Several states, including Illinois, already ban them.
Why does partial replacement raise lead levels?
The work disturbs lead scale inside the remaining pipe, and joining new copper to old lead can corrode the joint. Both can release lead for weeks or months.
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