U.S. cities with the most lead pipes (2026 EPA data)
The 100 water systems that reported the most lead and galvanized-requiring-replacement service lines to EPA (Q3 2026), and whether each offers a program to pay for your side. Ranked by lead plus galvanized lines.
| # | Water system | Lead | Galv. | % of lines | Program |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago, IL Chicago | 350,531 | 10,326 | 74.2% | Free if eligible |
| 2 | Cleveland, OH Cleveland Public Water System | 144,193 | 528 | 33.3% | Free when scheduled |
| 3 | New York City, NY New York City System | 120,931 | 3,266 | 15.1% | Free if eligible |
| 4 | Detroit, MI City of Detroit | 80,595 | 120 | 32.1% | Free when scheduled |
| 5 | Milwaukee, WI Milwaukee Waterworks | 65,331 | 0 | 40.6% | Cost share |
| 6 | Indianapolis, IN Citizens Water - Indianapolis | 56,766 | 195 | 15.2% | Free when scheduled |
| 7 | Minneapolis, MN Minneapolis | 38,341 | 132 | 38.3% | Free |
| 8 | Cincinnati, OH Cincinnati Public Water System | 34,673 | 44 | 14.6% | Free |
| 9 | Buffalo, NY Buffalo Water Authority | 34,208 | 110 | 44.8% | Free if eligible |
| 10 | Columbus, OH Columbus Public Water System | 25,155 | 8,093 | 11.5% | Free |
| 11 | Fort Worth, TX City of Fort Worth | 0 | 32,590 | 10.8% | Program pending |
| 12 | South Bend, IN South Bend Water Works | 27,001 | 1,037 | 57.3% | Utility program |
| 13 | Providence, RI City of Providence | 25,785 | 0 | 32.1% | Free |
| 14 | Nashville, TN Metro Water Services | 2,818 | 21,855 | 11.3% | Owner pays |
| 15 | Hammond, IN Hammond Water Works Department | 22,380 | 744 | 82.0% | Utility program |
| 16 | Kansas City, MO Kansas City PWS | 0 | 22,951 | 12.9% | Owner pays |
| 17 | Elkhart, IN Elkhart Public Works and Utilities | 19,747 | 1,338 | 62.0% | Loan |
| 18 | Grand Rapids, MI Grand Rapids | 19,430 | 0 | 24.3% | Free when scheduled |
| 19 | Philadelphia, PA Philadelphia Water Department | 16,805 | 1,777 | 3.5% | Free if eligible |
| 20 | Pittsburgh, PA Pittsburgh Water & Sewer Auth | 16,165 | 2,250 | 22.9% | Free if eligible |
| 21 | Saint Paul, MN Saint Paul Regional Water Services | 17,772 | 4 | 18.0% | Free |
| 22 | Memphis, TN Memphis Light, Gas, & Water | 17,022 | 532 | 5.7% | Free if eligible |
| 23 | Syracuse, NY Syracuse City | 17,239 | 48 | 44.8% | Free when scheduled |
| 24 | Washington, DC, DC D.C. Water and Sewer Authority | 16,935 | 190 | 12.5% | Free if eligible |
| 25 | Denver, CO Denver Water Board | 15,826 | 848 | 5.4% | Free when scheduled |
| 26 | Rochester, NY Rochester City | 14,648 | 1,992 | 28.0% | Free when scheduled |
| 27 | Hutchinson, KS City of Hutchinson | 0 | 16,594 | 100.0% | Program pending |
| 28 | Trenton, NJ Trenton Water Works | 15,734 | 446 | 25.9% | Free |
| 29 | Aurora, IL Aurora | 16,063 | 0 | 31.8% | Free when scheduled |
| 30 | Rockford, IL Rockford | 14,240 | 1,088 | 27.7% | Free |
| 31 | New Orleans, LA New Orleans Carrollton Water Works | 13,927 | 49 | 11.3% | Program pending |
| 32 | Jackson, MS City of Jackson | 0 | 13,816 | 21.9% | Program pending |
| 33 | Cicero, IL Cicero | 13,037 | 2 | 86.9% | Utility program |
| 34 | Gadsden, AL Water Works and Sewer Board of the City of Gadsden | 8 | 12,496 | 80.4% | Not confirmed |
| 35 | Birmingham, AL Central Alabama Water | 12,350 | 18 | 5.3% | Owner pays |
| 36 | Omaha, NE Metropolitan Utilities District | 11,738 | 333 | 5.2% | Free when scheduled |
| 37 | Bergen & Hudson County (Veolia), NJ Veolia Water New Jersey Hackensack | 11,567 | 316 | 5.8% | Free |
| 38 | Fort Wayne, IN Fort Wayne - 3 Rivers Filtration Plant | 11,299 | 475 | 10.9% | Cost share |
| 39 | Peoria, IL IL American-Peoria | 11,000 | 442 | 17.9% | Free when scheduled |
| 40 | Gary & Merrillville, IN Indiana American Water - Northwest | 10,833 | 183 | 12.1% | Free when scheduled |
| 41 | Berwyn, IL Berwyn | 10,527 | 301 | 80.1% | Free if eligible |
| 42 | St. Louis County (Missouri American), MO Mo American St Louis St Charles Counties | 9,422 | 1,247 | 2.7% | Free when scheduled |
| 43 | Racine, WI Racine Waterworks | 10,257 | 394 | 31.5% | Free |
| 44 | St. Louis, MO St Louis City PWS | 9,990 | 525 | 9.9% | Program pending |
| 45 | Allentown, PA Lca Allentown Division | 4,552 | 5,839 | 32.5% | Free if eligible |
| 46 | Muskegon, MI Muskegon | 7,631 | 2,736 | 71.7% | Free when scheduled |
| 47 | Southgate, MI Southgate | 192 | 9,735 | 93.6% | Free when scheduled |
| 48 | Little Rock (Central Arkansas Water), AR Central Arkansas Water | 0 | 9,804 | 5.7% | Not confirmed |
| 49 | St. Croix, VI Water And Power Authority - STX | 0 | 9,740 | 96.1% | Not confirmed |
| 50 | Davenport, IA Iowa-American WTR Co-Davenport | 9,620 | 8 | 15.6% | Free when scheduled |
| 51 | Dayton, OH Dayton Public Water System | 8,588 | 937 | 14.8% | Owner pays |
| 52 | Evanston, IL Evanston | 9,198 | 270 | 64.6% | Free when scheduled |
| 53 | Toledo, OH City of Toledo | 3,053 | 6,374 | 8.1% | Free if eligible |
| 54 | Camden, NJ City of Camden | 9,401 | 0 | 57.0% | Utility program |
| 55 | Akron, OH Akron City PWS | 1,683 | 7,389 | 10.2% | Owner pays |
| 56 | Decatur, AL Municipal Utilities Board of Decatur | 1 | 8,882 | 31.7% | Not confirmed |
| 57 | Wauwatosa, WI Wauwatosa Waterworks | 8,665 | 0 | 55.5% | Owner pays |
| 58 | Junction City, KS City of Junction City | 0 | 8,416 | 97.4% | Not confirmed |
| 59 | Jacksonville, FL Jea Major Grid | 0 | 8,365 | 1.9% | Owner pays |
| 60 | Elgin, IL Elgin | 8,221 | 1 | 23.7% | Free |
| 61 | Des Moines, IA Des Moines Water Works | 8,114 | 10 | 9.0% | Free when scheduled |
| 62 | Westchester County (Veolia), NY Veolia Water New York, INC. Rd-1 | 8,008 | 74 | 24.9% | Not confirmed |
| 63 | East Orange, NJ East Orange Water Commission | 1,969 | 6,000 | 81.9% | Utility program |
| 64 | Jackson, MI Jackson | 7,840 | 1 | 62.8% | Free |
| 65 | West Allis, WI West Allis Waterworks | 7,719 | 0 | 39.7% | Program pending |
| 66 | Oak Park, IL Oak Park | 6,935 | 714 | 61.0% | Loan |
| 67 | Waukegan, IL Waukegan | 7,260 | 62 | 34.8% | Utility program |
| 68 | St. Thomas, VI Water And Power Authority - STT | 0 | 6,816 | 100.0% | Not confirmed |
| 69 | Sandusky, OH Sandusky City | 6,676 | 50 | 64.9% | Utility program |
| 70 | Oshkosh, WI Oshkosh Waterworks | 6,471 | 247 | 29.9% | Cost share |
| 71 | Ankeny, IA City of Ankeny | 6,630 | 0 | 22.5% | Not confirmed |
| 72 | Altoona, PA Altoona Water Authority | 0 | 6,598 | 27.9% | Program pending |
| 73 | Decatur, IL Decatur | 0 | 6,535 | 21.3% | Cost share |
| 74 | Charleston, SC Charleston Water System (Sc1010001) | 6,504 | 2 | 4.8% | Owner pays |
| 75 | Pinellas County, FL Pinellas County Utilities | 0 | 6,472 | 5.6% | Not confirmed |
| 76 | Utica area (Mohawk Valley Water), NY Mvwa - Mohawk Valley Water Authority | 6,445 | 19 | 14.6% | Utility program |
| 77 | Skokie, IL Skokie | 6,222 | 127 | 35.9% | Cost share |
| 78 | Saginaw, MI City of Saginaw | 6,317 | 0 | 23.6% | Free when scheduled |
| 79 | Wildwood City, NJ Wildwood City Water Department | 0 | 6,232 | 38.2% | Not confirmed |
| 80 | Poughkeepsie, NY Poughkeepsie City | 6,198 | 0 | 81.5% | Utility program |
| 81 | Vineland, NJ Vineland Water & Sewer Utility | 0 | 6,080 | 33.7% | Not confirmed |
| 82 | Pittsburgh suburbs (PA American Water), PA PA Amer Water Co-Pittsburgh | 4,290 | 1,780 | 2.6% | Free when scheduled |
| 83 | Wichita, KS City of Wichita | 16 | 6,015 | 3.6% | Program pending |
| 84 | Elizabeth (NJ American Water), NJ NJ American Water - Raritan | 429 | 5,590 | 2.7% | Free when scheduled |
| 85 | Evergreen Park, IL Evergreen Park | 5,933 | 48 | 84.0% | Cost share |
| 86 | Elmwood Park, IL Elmwood Park | 5,825 | 0 | 91.2% | Not confirmed |
| 87 | Hannibal, MO Hannibal PWS | 5,776 | 0 | 51.2% | Not confirmed |
| 88 | New Bedford, MA City of New Bedford Dpi | 5,676 | 0 | 21.8% | Utility program |
| 89 | Duluth, MN Duluth | 5,382 | 251 | 19.6% | Free |
| 90 | Wichita Falls, TX City of Wichita Falls | 0 | 5,621 | 16.4% | Not confirmed |
| 91 | Bloomington, IL Bloomington | 5,529 | 2 | 17.2% | Free |
| 92 | Sheboygan, WI Sheboygan Water Utilities | 4,811 | 468 | 32.1% | Cost share |
| 93 | Dearborn, MI Dearborn | 5,271 | 0 | 16.1% | Free when scheduled |
| 94 | Quincy, IL Quincy | 5,223 | 33 | 28.8% | Utility program |
| 95 | Lansing, IL Lansing | 5,186 | 2 | 70.3% | Not confirmed |
| 96 | Topeka, KS City of Topeka | 291 | 4,893 | 9.0% | Not confirmed |
| 97 | Mount Vernon, NY Mount Vernon Water Department | 5,144 | 12 | 49.2% | Utility program |
| 98 | Medford, MA Medford Water Dept. (Mwra) | 5,128 | 2 | 34.9% | Cost share |
| 99 | Maywood, IL Maywood | 5,058 | 0 | 79.9% | Utility program |
| 100 | Erie County (ECWA), NY Ecwa Direct | 248 | 4,798 | 4.5% | Free |
Source: EPA SDWIS Service Line Inventory, Q3 2026. "Galv." means galvanized lines that require replacement. Free to cite with a link to this page.
Common questions
Which U.S. city has the most lead pipes?
Chicago, with 350,531 lead service lines and 10,326 galvanized lines that need replacing, according to EPA's Q3 2026 inventory data. Chicago required lead service lines until the 1986 federal ban.
Which states have the most lead service lines?
Illinois, Ohio, New York, Michigan and Wisconsin top the list, mostly because of older Midwest and Northeast housing. See lead lines by state.
Where does this data come from?
EPA's SDWIS Service Line Inventory report (Q3 2026), which compiles the inventories utilities filed with their states. Counts change as utilities identify "unknown" lines and replace lead ones.