Lead Service Line Management

AWWA Policy Statement on Lead Service Line Management

The American Water Works Association (AWWA) is committed to protecting public health by reducing exposure to lead released into drinking water.  AWWA encourages utilities, community water system operators, and local governments to develop lead reduction strategies and programs that include identifying and replacing all lead service lines over time and mitigating risks of lead exposure from partial service line replacement. Although this policy specifically addresses lead service lines, 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 by property owners 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 release 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 lead service line management and should do their part to reduce lead exposure released into drinking water by identifying 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. Revised June 8, 2025.