Most Michigan homeowners have never looked at the pipe that brings water into their house. In a lot of cases, neither has their water system. Here’s what the state’s own inventory shows, how to check your pipe in two minutes, and who pays if it’s lead.
What Michigan’s inventory shows
- Michigan water systems’ October 2024 inventories listed 315,372 service lines of unknown material, according to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). EGLE calls the inventory “a snapshot in time.”
- The same inventories counted 203,050 lead lines and 61,608 galvanized lines connected to lead.
- From 2021 through 2025, 98,253 lead and galvanized lines were replaced statewide, more each year.
- Detroit reports more than 80,000 lead lines and 15,855 replaced since 2018, as of March 2026.
How to check your water service line yourself
Find where the water line comes through the basement wall or floor, usually near the water meter. Gently scrape a small spot on the pipe before the meter with a coin or key, then hold a magnet to it:
- Copper: shiny, penny-colored where scraped. A magnet won’t stick.
- Lead: dull gray, soft, and scrapes to a bright silver. A magnet won’t stick.
- Galvanized steel: gray and hard. A magnet sticks.
- Plastic: usually white, blue or black.
Check your water system’s online service line map too, if it has one, and report what you find.
Found lead? Call your water department first
“If you find lead, call your water department before you call a contractor,” says Imad “Matt” Mansour, owner of Mansour’s Innovations. “Under Michigan’s rule, the water system replaces it.” EGLE states that “the full lead service line must be replaced at water supply expense, regardless of ownership.” A 2024 federal rule sets a December 31, 2037 deadline for lead line replacement nationwide, though water utility groups are challenging it in court.
Not lead? The line is usually yours to fix
Copper, galvanized (not connected to lead) and plastic lines are usually the homeowner’s responsibility from the curb stop to the house, though the rules vary by city. Watch for:
- Water pressure that keeps getting worse.
- A wet or soft spot in the yard along the line, even in dry weather.
- Rusty or discolored water.
- A water bill that jumps with no change in use.
We dig, replace the line from the curb stop to the house, and restore the yard. See water service line replacement and our plumbing services.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my water line is lead in Michigan?
Scrape a small spot on the pipe where it enters the house, before the meter. Lead is dull gray, soft and scrapes to bright silver, and a magnet won’t stick. Galvanized steel is gray and a magnet sticks; copper is penny-colored.
Who pays to replace a lead service line in Michigan?
Under Michigan’s Lead and Copper Rule, the water system replaces the full lead service line at water supply expense, regardless of ownership. Call your water department first.
How many Michigan water service lines are lead?
Michigan water systems’ October 2024 inventories counted 203,050 lead lines, 61,608 galvanized lines connected to lead, and 315,372 lines of unknown material, according to EGLE.
What are signs my water service line is failing?
Worsening low water pressure, a wet spot in the yard along the line, rusty water and unexplained increases in the water bill.
Sources: Michigan EGLE service line inventory and replacement data (2021 to 2025), City of Detroit lead service line replacement reports (March 2026), and the 2024 federal Lead and Copper Rule Improvements. This guide expands on our press release, Michigan Still Doesn’t Know What 315,000 of Its Water Service Lines Are Made Of. Here’s How to Check Yours, distributed by EIN Presswire on November 8, 2026.
Mansour’s Innovations is a family-owned waterproofing, excavation and plumbing contractor in Shelby Township, Michigan, serving Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties since 2014. Owner Imad “Matt” Mansour has 20+ years in the trade and the crew has completed 1,600+ projects. Our waterproofing work carries a 25-year transferable limited warranty. We’re open 8 AM to 8 PM, 7 days a week. Call or text (586) 345-7292 or book a free estimate online.
