Lead Service Lines in Marietta, Georgia
What you need to know about lead pipes in your water system
Marietta Board of Lights and Water serves about 60,100 people in Marietta, Georgia. The utility draws water from surface sources (rivers or lakes).
Lead enters drinking water mainly through lead service lines—pipes that connect the water main under the street to homes built before the 1980s. Lead can also leach from brass fittings and solder. Even "low" levels of lead pose risks, especially to children and pregnant people.
Current inventory status
Marietta Board of Lights and Water has not yet completed a public inventory of lead service lines. This means the utility is still in the process of mapping which homes have lead pipes, or the results are not yet published.
A complete inventory is the first step toward replacing lead service lines. Federal law (the Lead and Copper Rule) requires all water systems to identify and inventory lead service lines by 2027, with replacement planning to follow.
What you can do now
Contact your water utility directly to ask:
- Whether your address has a lead service line
- When the utility will complete its inventory
- What the replacement timeline looks like for your neighborhood
You can reach Marietta Board of Lights and Water through the city of Marietta's website or by calling their customer service line.
Reduce your risk immediately:
- Run cold water for 30 seconds before drinking or cooking (if your home was built before 1990)
- Use cold water for cooking and baby formula; hot water leaches more lead
- Consider a certified water filter if you want extra assurance (look for NSF/ANSI 53 certification for lead removal)
Get health information: If you're concerned about lead exposure, especially for young children or during pregnancy, contact your pediatrician or the CDC's lead hotline for guidance.
Next steps for residents
- Contact Marietta Board of Lights and Water to request information about your address
- Ask whether your utility has applied for federal funding (Bipartisan Infrastructure Law) to help pay for replacements
- Request an update on the timeline for completing the lead service line inventory
- If your home was built before 1990, apply water safety measures while waiting for replacement information
Key figures
| Total inventoried lines | 0 |
|---|---|
| BIL/IIJA funding received | — |
| Replacement plan status | Not reported |
| Utility's LCRR inventory | Not provided |
Frequently asked
Does Marietta have lead in the water?
Lead is not in the water source itself, but it can enter through old lead service line pipes. Marietta Board of Lights and Water is still inventorying which homes have these pipes. Contact the utility directly to ask about your address.
How do I know if my house has a lead service line?
Call Marietta Board of Lights and Water and ask about your specific address. They can look up your service line material. You can also check outside where the water line enters your home—lead is soft and will turn shiny if you scrape it gently.
Is it safe to drink tap water in Marietta?
The utility treats water to meet federal safety standards. Homes with lead service lines or lead-containing fixtures may have higher lead levels. Using a certified filter (NSF/ANSI 53) or letting water run cold before drinking can reduce exposure while the utility completes its inventory.
When will Marietta replace lead service lines?
The utility is still mapping where lead lines exist. Once the inventory is complete, they will develop a replacement plan. By federal law, they must finish the inventory by 2027. Ask the utility about their timeline and whether they've received federal funding to accelerate replacements.