Winnetka Lead Service Line Replacement Program
Winnetka serves about 12,475 people and reported 1,083 lead service lines that must be replaced, out of 4,430 lines, in EPA's Q3 2026 inventory. Here's who pays to replace yours, what it costs, and how to sign up.
50% back, up to $5,000
Winnetka covers 50% of the cost, up to $5,000, to replace a leaking lead water service line, and offers reimbursement of up to 50% for owners who replace voluntarily. The village is replacing lines alongside road work and expects all lead services to be gone by 2038.
How to get it
- Check with Winnetka Water & Electric whether your line is lead.
- Apply for the 50% rebate before work starts.
- Ask whether your street is in the 2026 road-work replacement program.
Sources: villageofwinnetka.org, therecordnorthshore.org
Lead lines in Winnetka
The most recent 90th-percentile lead result EPA lists for this system is 7.6 parts per billion (2026-01 to 2026-12). Under the new federal rule, the action level drops to 10 ppb in 2027. Galvanized lines count if they ever sat downstream of a lead pipe, because they can hold lead particles. Unknown lines must be identified by the utility, and many turn out to be lead.
How Winnetka compares: it ranks #373 of 7,556 U.S. water systems and #68 of 397 in Illinois for lead and galvanized lines. 24.4% of its service lines need replacing, compared with 23.8% across Illinois. See the national ranking.
Source: EPA SDWIS Service Line Inventory, Q3 2026 · Utility phone: 847-716-3556 · PWSID IL0313330
Winnetka lead service line map: check your address
Every water utility had to publish an inventory of its service lines, and most offer an address lookup map. Start with Winnetka's official lead program page, which links to its lookup or explains how to get your line checked. The status will be lead, galvanized requiring replacement, non-lead or unknown. If it's unknown, you can usually check the pipe yourself and send the utility a photo.
Who pays in Illinois?
Illinois was one of the first states to require full replacement of every lead service line. Each water supply must file a final replacement plan by April 15, 2027, then replace a set share of its lead lines every year, on a timeline of 15 to 50 years depending on how many it has. A utility may bill the owner for the private side only if it is not using state or federal money for that work, and an owner can sign a waiver to decline private-side replacement. Illinois EPA lends to water systems and forgives part of the loan in lower-income communities, which is why many Illinois programs are free.
The law: Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act (415 ILCS 5/17.12). Mandatory? Yes. Illinois requires every community water supply to replace all lead service lines, and partial replacements have been banned since January 1, 2022. Funding: Illinois EPA Public Water Supply Loan Program (with principal forgiveness for disadvantaged communities).
Sources: news.wttw.com, agendadocs.downers.us
Nationwide, EPA's Lead and Copper Rule Improvements require most utilities to replace every lead and galvanized-requiring-replacement line by December 31, 2037, starting November 1, 2027. Utilities must mail a notice every year to each home with a lead, galvanized or unknown line. See the federal timeline.
What would you pay?
Many utility loans are 0% (enter 0). Private loans run higher. Your real price depends on how far the house sits from the street, digging versus trenchless methods, permits and restoration. This is an estimate, not a quote.
Not covered, or can't wait?
Get up to 3 quotes from licensed plumbers who replace service lines in Winnetka.
Common questions
Is lead service line replacement free in Winnetka?
Not fully free; it's a cost share (50% up to $5,000). Winnetka covers 50% of the cost, up to $5,000, to replace a leaking lead water service line, and offers reimbursement of up to 50% for owners who replace voluntarily.
Is lead service line replacement mandatory in Winnetka?
Illinois law requires all lead lines to be replaced.
How much does it cost to replace a lead service line in Winnetka?
Winnetka's program pays 50% up to $5,000. On a $7,500 job, that's $3,750 from the utility and $3,750 from you. Most private-side replacements cost about $4,000 to $10,000, and long or difficult lines can run higher. Price depends on the distance from the street to your house, whether the contractor digs a trench or pulls the new pipe through (trenchless), permits, and restoring your lawn, sidewalk or basement wall.
How do I know if my home has a lead service line?
Look up your address on Winnetka's service line inventory or check the letter it mailed you. You can also check the pipe where it enters your basement, usually near the meter: lead is dull gray, soft, and turns shiny silver when you scratch it with a key, and a magnet won't stick. Galvanized steel is gray too, but a magnet sticks to it. See our step-by-step guide.
What if I can't afford to replace my lead line?
Ask Winnetka about income-based help first; federal money often makes replacement free for low-income owners. Other options are utility payment plans, 0% city loans, state revolving fund programs, property tax assessments and home improvement loans. Our guide on paying for replacement lists them.
Who owns the water service line?
In most U.S. cities the utility owns the pipe from the water main to the curb stop or property line, and the property owner owns the rest, into the house. Some utilities, including Minneapolis and many in St. Louis County, treat the whole line as the owner's. Federal rules now require utilities to replace the whole lead line, not just their part.
Other Illinois programs
Chicago ✓Aurora ✓Rockford ✓Cicero ✓Peoria ✓Berwyn ✓Evanston ✓Elgin ✓Oak Park ✓Waukegan ✓
Something out of date? Report a change. We recheck program terms at least once a year.