HARFORD COUNTY D.P.W. Lead Service Line Inventory

What You Need to Know

HARFORD COUNTY D.P.W. serves about 104,567 residents in Maryland. The utility draws its water from surface sources (rivers or reservoirs), which is treated before it reaches your home.

Lead becomes a concern when it enters your water through the pipes that connect the water main in the street to your house—called a service line. If that pipe is made of lead, water sitting in it overnight or for several hours can pick up lead particles. Even a small amount matters, especially for children and pregnant people.

Current Inventory Status

As of now, HARFORD COUNTY D.P.W. has not completed a comprehensive inventory of which service lines contain lead. This means the utility doesn't yet have a clear picture of how many lead service lines exist in its system or where they are located.

Without this data, it's harder for the utility to prioritize replacements or for residents to know if their home is at risk. However, inventories are a relatively new requirement—Maryland utilities have been working toward completion, and some are still in progress.

What This Means for Your Home

You cannot rely on the utility's inventory (since it's incomplete) to know whether your service line contains lead. Instead, you can:

• Contact the utility directly and ask about your specific address. Even without a full inventory, the utility may have records on your property based on age, location, or previous testing.
• Request a free or low-cost water test from HARFORD COUNTY D.P.W. if available. A test will tell you whether lead is actually in your tap water right now.
• Assume older homes are higher risk. Homes built before 1986 (when federal lead solder bans began) are more likely to have lead service lines or solder.

If your water test comes back positive for lead, the CDC recommends using a water filter certified to remove lead, running the tap for 30 seconds before drinking, and flushing standing water regularly.

Next Steps for Residents

• Call HARFORD COUNTY D.P.W. and ask: (1) whether your service line material is known, and (2) how to request a free or low-cost water test.
• Get your water tested if you have young children or are pregnant—lead exposure at these life stages is of particular concern.
• Visit the EPA's lead page for more information on reducing exposure while waiting for service line replacement.
• Ask the utility about its timeline for completing the full service line inventory and any replacement programs.

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```json [ { "q": "Does HARFORD COUNTY D.P.W. have lead in the water?", "a": "The utility's service line inventory is incomplete, so it doesn't yet know how many lead pipes are in its system. The only way to know if lead is in your tap water is to request a free or low-cost test from the utility. Even homes with lead service lines don't always have lead in the water—it depends on water chemistry and pipe age." }, { "q": "How do I know if my house has a lead service line?", "a": "Contact HARFORD COUNTY D.P.W. and ask about your address. If the utility doesn't have that information, you can hire a plumber to inspect the pipe where it enters your home, or request a water test to see if lead is actually leaching into your tap water." }, { "q": "Is lead in water dangerous?", "a": "Yes, especially for children under age 6 and pregnant people. Lead can affect brain development and learning. For health concerns, speak with your pediatrician or contact the CDC. The first step is to test your water and reduce exposure while awaiting service line replacement." }, { "q": "When will HARFORD COUNTY D.P.W. replace lead