Lead Service Line Replacement

Lead Service Lines in Lincolnwood

The Village of Lincolnwood understands the importance of clean, safe drinking water for you and your family.  While this information and program can get technical, we want to provide clear, easy-to-understand information about lead service lines, why they matter, and what steps are being taken to protect your water supply in your house. Lead is not present in Lincolnwood’s source water (Lake Michigan) nor in the water flowing through the distribution system. However, lead can enter your drinking water through corrosion of household plumbing materials if the building contains a lead service line or any plumbing fixtures that contain lead.

In 1988, the use of lead water service lines was completely banned by the federal government. In homes not served by a lead water service line, the most common source of lead in water is plumbing and plumbing fixtures with lead in them. Plumbing and plumbing fixtures could be sold as “lead-free” until 2014, but could contain up to 8% lead. 

What Is a Water Service Line? A water service line is the pipe that connects the public water main (typically located beneath the street) to your home or business.

Water Service line ownership is shared between the Village and the property owner:

• Village-owned portion: From the water main to the Buffalo Box (B-Box), the round metal cover is typically located in the parkway or at the exterior water meter.
• Property owner-owned portion: From the B-Box or exterior water meter into the home or building.

2025 - Present Lead Service Line Replacement Project

Lincolnwood’s 2025 Lead Service Line Replacement Project is fully funded through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) as part of the Public Water Supply Loan Program.

The SRF program is administered by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) and receives funding support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These state and federal partnerships allow communities like Lincolnwood to proactively invest in safe, reliable drinking water infrastructure.

What the Lead Service Line Project Includes:

• Replacement of lead water service lines
• Associated infrastructure work
• Restoration of affected parkways, sidewalks, and pavement

Why This Matters

State Revolving Fund programs operate in every state to provide communities with the resources necessary to build, maintain, and improve water infrastructure. These investments protect one of our most valuable resources, safe and reliable drinking water.