A water service line connects your home to the utility main. Prior to the mid 50's, these service lines were often made of lead. Lead service lines are generally a dull gray color and are very soft.
Metro Water Services replaces their portion of lead service lines when found during construction or repair activities.
As shown in the diagram below, the service line connects the private plumbing to the public water main (typically under the street). Metro Water Services owns the service line from the water main to the meter. The property owner is responsible for the service line from the meter to the residence or building.
Lead service lines on a customer’s property are not part of the public water system and are the responsibility of the property owner. Metro Water Services strongly advises that you contact a licensed plumber for any work on your service line.
You can identify lead pipe easily by carefully scratching the pipe with a key. If the pipe is made of lead, the area you've scratched will turn a bright silver color. Do not use a knife or other sharp instrument and take care not to cut or puncture a hole in the pipe. (Note: Galvanized piping can also be dull gray in color. A strong magnet will typically cling to galvanized pipes, but will not cling to lead pipes.) Lead service lines can be connected to the residential plumbing using solder and have a characteristic solder "bulb" at the end, a compression fitting, or other connector made of galvanized iron or brass/bronze, similar to this:
If your home has a lead service line, it is likely that other sources of lead exist in the home as well. If you suspect your home has a lead service line, hire a licensed plumber to inspect your pipes or have water samples from your home analyzed for lead by a certified laboratory.