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Department of Water Logo Water Service Line Inventory

Know Your Water

About Our Service Line Inventory

Service lines are the pipes that transport water from the water main in the street into homes. If you live in a house or two-flat or a small building built before 1986, there is a high likelihood that your water service line is lead. Lead service lines are not usually found in larger buildings.

There are approximately 400,000 lead service lines in Chicago. We have compiled this inventory using information collected while performing infrastructure maintenance and estimates based on property descriptions. You can also check whether your line is lead and send us your results. The location displayed on the map is an approximation. The service address of a building may not match the location of the building.

If you want to lookup the service line material of a specific address that is not being shown in the service line inventory, please use the Contact Us form.

Chicago’s drinking water meets all national, state and industry standards for safety because the Chicago Department of Water Management adds corrosion control, which coats the pipes to help prevent lead from dissolving into our water. If you have any concerns about your water quality, have it tested for free.

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Helpful Information

Pipe with shut off valve Icon for Service Line Confirm Your Water Service Line Material
Water Droplet Icon for Water Flushing Flush Your Water
Triangular Beaker icon for Water testing Get a Free Water Test
Water Faucet icon pointing at the aerator from where the water comes out Clean Your Aerators
Water Filter Icon Get a Free Water Filter
Hard Hat Icon for Lead Service Line Replacement programs offered by the City Lead Service Line Replacement Program Information

Helpful Information

Pipe with shut off valve Icon for Service Line Confirm Your Water Service Line Material
Water Droplet Icon for Water Flushing Flush Your Water
Triangular Beaker icon for Water testing Get a Free Water Test
Water Faucet icon pointing at the aerator from where the water comes out Clean Your Aerators
Water Filter Icon Get a Free Water Filter
Hard Hat Icon for Lead Service Line Replacement programs offered by the City Lead Service Line Replacement Program Information
Flush Your Water

Whenever you have not used for 6 hours or more, run your water for at least 5 minutes before using it for cooking and drinking. This moves out water that has been sitting in your pipes and pulls through the corrosion control that the city adds to prevent lead and other contaminants from leaching into water. Everyday activities like taking a shower, doing laundry, washing dishes, and watering the lawn all count towards flushing the water. Lead is not absorbed through the skin, so these activities are not a concern. If there has been work done on the water mains outside your home or it has been vacant for a while, you may need to conduct more extensive flushing.

Public vs Private Service Line
Searching for a Service Line

  1. If known, search using your water account number.
  2. If not, search using your address. While entering your address a drop down will follow with suggested addresses, please select the correct address from the drop down.
  3. Please do not add any unit number(s) to the address. The service lines are associated with the entire address.
  4. Use the "Return to Homepage" button at the bottom to return to the previous screen.


Format: 6 or 7 numbers - 6 numbers
-

OR

Type in your address using N, S, W, or E for street direction; St or Ave, etc. for street or avenue; use no punctuation. e.g. 1000 E OHIO ST
Select from the suggested addresses that appear and hit the "Find" button. You will directed to a map if no matching address is found.
Results
The PRIVATE portion of the water service line is
The private portion of the water service line from the b-box (shut-off valve) to the building.
The PUBLIC portion of the water service line is
The public portion of the water service line from the b-box (shut-off valve) to the water main.
Learn More About Service Lines Information
Service Line Material ResultWhat it Means?
NOT LEADThe building does not have a lead service line.
LEADThe building has a confirmed lead service line.
GALVANIZED REQUIRING REPLACEMENTThe building has a confirmed galvanized iron service line which will require replacement.
SUSPECTED LEADWe currently do not have a record of your service, though we suspect the service line to be lead. Help DWM identify your service line.
CategoryWhat it Means?
Field VerificationVisual Inspection by a DWM affiliated personnel
Construction RecordsBased on construction records such as drawing, metercards, etc.
Historical DataBased on historical records such as Tap installation card, etc.
Building AgeAssumption based on when the building was constructed
  • The Department of Water Management (DWM) has made all reasonable efforts to ensure that the information on this website is accurate according to the information available to us, but accuracy is not in any way guaranteed.
  • Having a lead service line does not automatically mean you have elevated levels of lead in the water. DWM adds corrosion control to the water to help prevent lead from leaching into the water. Each house has different test results based on factors such as water usage (which refreshes the corrosion control coating in your pipes), interior plumbing, and previous periods of vacancy. To check the levels of lead in your water, call 311 for free water testing.
  • In Chicago, lead paint is by far the biggest source of lead poisoning in children. It is a good idea to check your house for lead paint while also checking to see if you have a lead service line.
  • All young children should be tested for lead exposure more info
What Next?
Triangular Beaker icon for Water testing Get a Free Water Test
Water Droplet Icon for Water Flushing Flush Your Water
Pipe with shut off valve Icon for Service Line Confirm Your Water Service Line Material
Hard Hat Icon for Lead Service Line Replacement programs offered by the City Lead Service Line Replacement Program Information
Flush Flush Your Water
Check Confirm Your Water Service Line Material
Test Get a Free Water Test
Line Lead Service Line Replacement Program Information
Please Pick an Address

Results Map
  • If you are experiencing map issues or have a blank screen please select the re-center map button

Tap/Click Here To Close

Finding Closest Service Lines, Please Wait
Using this Map:

  • Use the map to naviate to your location.
  • Tap/Click on the map at your location to begin the search. This location will be represented by an orange cross. Orange Cross
  • The options closest to your search location are represented by the blue dots Blue Dot that appear on the map.
  • Tap/Click on the blue dots to view information for the location.
  • Tap/Click on the check box ( ) in the popup to see the results for your selection.

Contact Us

Contact us at 312-742-2406, lead.safe@cityofchicago.org, or use the form below.

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