Revised AWWA Policy Statement: Lead Service Line Management
January 23, 2025

AWWA Articles
Revised AWWA Policy Statement: Lead Service Line Management
The AWWA Policy Statement on Lead Service Line Management was revised further after previously being posted for member comment. The latest revision is now available for member comment.
Comments on the policy statement will be reviewed by AWWA staff and forwarded to the Executive Committee if the comments are minor, or referred back to the originating body if the comments are substantive. Policies forwarded to the Executive Committee will be reviewed for approval and final action.
Lead Service Line Management
The American Water Works Association (AWWA) is committed to protecting public health through the reduction of exposure to lead that is released into drinking water. The AWWA encourages utilities, community water system operators and local governments to develop a lead reduction strategy and program that includes identifying and replacing all lead service lines over time and mitigating risks of lead exposure from partial service line replacement. This policy addresses lead service lines, and the AWWA recognizes other potential sources of lead in drinking water (e.g., fixtures installed before 1986, lead solder, etc.), may require additional attention and retrofit to reduce the exposure of lead in drinking water.
As part of this lead service line management effort, water utilities and stakeholders should work collaboratively to expand outreach to alert property owners and consumers in properties with lead service lines about the risks posed by lead and the appropriate steps to reduce and mitigate those risks. AWWA encourages water providers to maintain optimal corrosion control to minimize the mobilization of lead into water. These measures are critical steps to ensure all people have access to safe and reliable water, recognizing that as long as there is lead in contact with drinking water, some risks remain.
AWWA supports the U.S. National Drinking Water Advisory Council’s (NDWAC) recommendations to reduce lead that is released into drinking water through the replacement of lead service lines while ensuring optimal corrosion control measures. Support of the NDWAC recommendations underscores the importance of protecting the public from lead exposure through lead-containing materials and drinking water.
Water utilities play a key role in identification of lead service lines, communicating their presence to customers, educating customers about the importance of their removal, and managing risks following removal.
Practices specified in this policy statement are consistent with all other pertinent AWWA policy statements.
Adopted by the Board of Directors January 14, 2017.
Submit comments by February 22, 2025.
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