Lead pipe replacement

Residential

If you replace your lead water supply pipe with United Water, you will qualify for the Lead Pipe Replacement Scheme. Under this program, your local water authority will replace, free of charge, any lead pipework that supplies water to your property. United Water manages the entire process.

Your underground water supply pipe is the pipe that brings fresh water into your home. As a homeowner, you are responsible for this pipe, generally from the property boundary all the way into your home. Up to 1970, water supply pipes were made from lead so if you have a lead water supply pipe, the best solution is to replace it.

Common problems associated with lead water pipes:

Water Contamination

Lead is a toxic metal and can build up in the body, accumulating in the skeleton. Children up to 6 years of age and pregnant women are the most susceptible to any adverse health effects from the accumulation of lead. These health effects include interference with the calcium metabolism and central nervous system.

Low Water Pressure

No matter what the pressure is in the mains network, your lead water supply pipe may be restricting the flow of water to your property. The maximum amount of water your supply pipe can carry will be affected by its internal diameter. This will appear to you as poor pressure, leaks from old lead water supply pipes or fittings will also reduce the water pressure.

Lead Pipe Replacement Scheme

Under the "Lead Pipe Replacement Scheme" offered by United Water, engineers install a new 25mm plastic water supply pipe into your home. Using a technique in which a pneumatic piercing tool is used to create a bore hole, the ground is compacted and displaced rather than excavated which means disruption is minimal. The cost of a new plastic water supply pipe (5) will depend on the length of your garden from the boundary of your property to the connection point inside your property.

1. Communication pipe
2. Water main
3. External stop tap
4. Property boundary
5. Supply pipe
6. Entry hole
7. Exit hole

This work is CARRIED OUT WITHIN ONE DAY
Your water supply is only DISCONNECTED FOR 20 MINUTES.

Enjoy the benefits of a full flow lead-free water supply

Improve Water Quality

United Water, by compliance with the Government's Drinking Water Quality Regulations, is committed to reducing the levels of lead in drinking water. By replacing your lead water supply pipe with a plastic pipe, the water provided will be purer and of better quality.

Increase Water Flow

Today's modern plastic water supply pipes have many advantages over the lead pipes they replace. The new pipe is made from a flexible plastic making it very durable. What's more, with a much larger internal diameter water flow can be significantly increased ensuring a much better delivery of water to your property.

Save Energy

Increased water flow enables your water-dependent appliances to perform more efficiently, which can help save you energy and make your home kinder to the environment.

Protect the Environment

With a new plastic water supply pipe you can start enjoying good quality tap water instead of bottled water. This can help protect the environment. There are a range of environmental issues associated with bottled water, which relate to the impacts of abstraction, packaging of the product, and pollution resulting from transportation and disposal of the waste packaging once the water has been consumed.

Increase Property Value

Lead water pipes are in many instances over 100 years old and since being banned in the 1970s they can negatively affect the value of a property at the point of sale due to the negative health effects, particularly for pregnant women and young children. Infants are the most vulnerable and at risk of life-long reductions in IQ as well as behavioral problems from even low quantities of the toxin coursing through their bloodstreams, according to the World Health Organization.

Property sales survey reports highlight factors that can significantly influence a buyer's decision to proceed with a purchase or serve as negotiation leverage. These reports identify issues like lead water pipes, asbestos, Japanese Knotweed, subsidence, structural damage, damp, dry rot, and woodworm. These concerns are sometimes perceived to be more expensive to address than they actually are, amplifying their potential impact on property negotiations.

How do I know if my property has a lead water supply pipe?

Look at the pipe where it enters your home. This can often be found by your internal stop tap - try looking under the kitchen sink. If the incoming pipe is not blue plastic it will be lead or iron. Scratch the surface with a knife and if it is lead you will see the shiny silvery-coloured metal underneath. If you are still unsure about any of the above, call us free on 0800 999 1072. We are here to help.