Lead Service Lines in Gwinnett County Water

Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources serves about 975,000 people across the county. If you're wondering whether lead service lines might affect your home, here's what you need to know.

What is a lead service line?

A lead service line is the pipe that connects your home to the public water main under the street. If installed before the 1980s, it may contain lead. When water sits in these pipes overnight or for hours, lead can dissolve into your drinking water. This is a real risk—not theoretical—but it's also preventable.

What does Gwinnett County know about lead service lines?

Gwinnett County is required by federal law to maintain an inventory of lead and galvanized service lines in its system. However, the county has not yet completed a public inventory of these lines. This means:

• The county does not have a published list showing how many lead service lines exist in the system
• You cannot currently check online to see if your home has a lead service line
• Homeowners in the county have limited visibility into this information

This is changing. The EPA requires all water systems to complete and maintain lead service line inventories. Gwinnett County is working to fulfill this obligation, but the timeline and current progress are not yet public.

What should you do now?

Contact Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources directly. They can tell you:

• Whether your specific address is served by a lead or galvanized service line
• What your county's replacement timeline and funding plan are
• Whether you qualify for assistance replacing a lead service line

The county's water quality team can access records that may identify your service line material—even if the public inventory isn't live yet.

If your home does have a lead service line, short-term water filters and running water before use can reduce exposure while replacement happens. For health concerns, especially if children under 6 live in your home, talk to your pediatrician or check the CDC's lead and health page.

Next steps for residents

• Call or email Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources with your address and ask about your service line material
• Check whether your home was built before 1980—older homes are more likely to have lead service lines
• If you have a lead service line, ask about replacement programs and any available funding or rebates
• Contact your pediatrician if you have young children and want to discuss water testing or health precautions

```json [ { "q": "How do I know if my house has a lead service line in Gwinnett County?", "a": "Contact Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources directly with your address—they can check their records. The county is building a public inventory but hasn't published it yet. Homes built before the 1980s are more likely to have lead service lines." }, { "q": "Is Gwinnett County water safe to drink?", "a": "Gwinnett County's water is treated and tested to meet federal safety standards. However, lead can enter your water through old service line pipes at your home, not from the main system. Having your water tested and knowing your service line material are the best ways to understand your risk." }, { "q": "What should I do if my child has been drinking water from a lead service line?", "a": "Contact your pediatrician. They can discuss whether testing is needed. High lead exposure is a health concern, but not all exposure causes permanent harm, and there are steps to reduce future risk." }, { "q": "Will Gwinnett County replace my lead service line?", "a": "Federal law now requires utilities to replace lead service lines, and many water systems are receiving funding to do so. Contact Gwinnett County to ask about their replacement plan, timeline, and