A service line is a pipe that connects the water main in the street to your household plumbing. In the City of New London, it is owned by the property owner from the curb box valve outside into the home. However, New London is responsible for maintaining the portion in public space—the portion of pipe from the water main in the street to the curb box valve.

The City has created an initial inventory of lead service lines based on construction records, but those records are not perfect. To improve our inventory the City of New London will continue to perform In-Home Verification testing (Swab Testing) and Potholing (Test Pits).

• A physical inspection of the property’s service line to determine existing material. The service line will be “swabbed” and the results will be immediately known (presence of lead or not).
• Access to the service line pipe inside the home (often in the basement) will be required for a swab test. Thespace must be clear and the pipe must be exposed to complete the test.
• Homeowners will be notified ahead of time if their home was selected and provided the option to agree or decline the inspection.

• Potholing or digging test pits is the process of digging to expose underground utilities for inspection.
• This work takes place at the property line and helps the City determine the material of the drinking water service lines on both the utility and customer side of the line.

• Test your water if you are concerned about lead in your drinking water. Tests should be performed by a state certified The cost for the test is typically between $10 and $50. A list of certified laboratories can be found at the following link:
  https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/Departments-and-Agencies/DPH/dph/environmental_health/environmental_laboratories/pdf/Instate-Aproved-Laboratories-Certified-to-Test-Drinking-Water.pdf
• Inspect your in-home water treatment devices and water softeners; they may increase lead levels in your Consult the manufacturer about how the device may affect your drinking water or plumbing. Avoid drinking softened water, as metals from your pipes are more likely to dissolve into soft water than in hard water.
• Filter tap water for drinking and cooking until all sources of lead are removed. This is especially important for pregnant or nursing women and children under age six. Select a filter certified to remove lead. The filter must meet National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) Standard 53 for lead removal. Learn more about filters here:
  https://info.nsf.org/Certified/dwtu/listings_leadreduction.asp.
• Use cold tap water for drinking and preparing food. Hot water is more likely to contain lead than cold water.
• Flush your tap for at least 5 minutes before drinking or cooking if the water in the faucet has gone unused for more than 6 hours. However, the amount of time to run the water will depend on whether your home has a lead service line or not, and the length of the lead service line. If you have a known lead service line and your house is set far back from the curb, you may need to flush for longer than 5 minutes. After flushing, use the water for cooking or drinking, or save it for later use by filling pitchers. To conserve water, save the water from flushing the tap for watering plants or doing dishes.
• Install lead-free faucets and fixtures that are certified to contain no lead. Look for lead certification marks indicating the new product is lead free, and then replace old faucets and fixtures. Visit epa.gov and search for lead free certification for more information.
• Lead and other metals can dissolve in water when it sits in pipes for a few hours. Regularly remove and clean faucet aerators every three months because sediment and lead particles can collect in the screen.