If you live in a classic Detroit home, you probably spent your first few months (or years) falling in love with the original crown molding, the solid oak floors, and maybe that quirky built-in ironing board that you definitely don’t use. But if your home was built before 1945, which, let’s be honest, is a huge chunk of our beautiful city, there’s one "original feature" you definitely don’t want to keep: a lead water service line.

At Make Detroit Home, we help people navigate the Detroit housing market every day. Part of being a confident homeowner here is knowing exactly what’s going on in your basement. Today, we’re going into the depths of your mechanical room (or crawlspace) to help you identify what your pipes are made of.

Don't worry, it’s not as scary as it sounds, and the city is actually working to fix it. You just need to know what to look for and who to tell.

Why Should You Care?

Lead is a neurotoxin, and while Detroit’s water treatment is world-class, lead can leach into your water as it passes through old service lines (the pipe that connects the city’s water main to your house). The good news? The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) is on a mission to replace every lead line in the city by 2040.

The even better news? You can help move your street up the priority list by identifying your pipe and reporting it.

Step 1: Find the Point of Entry

To know what your service line is made of, you need to look at it before it hits your water meter. Go into your basement or crawlspace and find where the main water pipe comes through the floor or the wall. This is the "service line." You want to test the section of pipe that is between the wall/floor and your first shut-off valve or meter.

Step 2: Look for the "Bulb" (The Dead Giveaway)

In Detroit, there is one visual clue that is almost always a smoking gun for a lead line: the bulb.

Take a look at the joint where the pipe connects to the brass fitting or the water meter. Do you see a bulbous, football-shaped swelling? This is called a "wiped joint." In the old days, plumbers used molten lead to seal these connections, and they wiped it into this distinctive round shape.

If you see that gray, rounded bulb, you can almost guarantee you have a lead service line. Copper pipes don't have this; they usually have thin, soldered joints or flared fittings.

Step 3: The Scratch Test (Pocket Change Edition)

Not sure if that gray pipe is lead or just an old galvanized steel pipe? It’s time to grab a nickel or a flathead screwdriver.

Find a clean-ish spot on the pipe and give it a firm scratch.

• If it’s lead: The metal will be soft and easy to scratch. The scratch will look shiny silver.
• If it’s copper: The scratch will look like a bright, shiny penny (orange-brown).
• If it’s galvanized steel: It will be very hard to scratch, and you’ll likely just see a dull gray surface or even some rust.

Step 4: The Magnet Test

This is the tie-breaker. Grab a magnet from your fridge and try to stick it to the pipe.

• Magnet doesn't stick? You likely have lead or copper. (Since you just did the scratch test, you’ll know which one it is!)
• Magnet sticks strongly? You have galvanized steel.

Wait, is galvanized steel okay? It’s better than lead, but old galvanized pipes can actually trap lead particles that flaked off earlier, so the city wants to know about these too!

Step 5: The Most Important Part: Submit Your Findings!

Identifying your lead line is only half the battle. To get on the list for replacement, you must report your findings to the City of Detroit. This is how they build their map and decide which neighborhoods to hit next.

The city is replacing these lines at no cost to the homeowner during water main projects, but they need your data to plan effectively.

Where to File:

1. The Official City Page: Head over to https://detroitmi.gov/LSLR. This page has all the details on the Lead Service Line Replacement Program.
2. The Direct Reporting Form: If you’re ready to submit your photos and findings, use the official Smartsheet Reporting Form.

Pro-tip: Take a clear photo of the pipe, the "bulb" joint, and the results of your scratch test before you start the form. It makes the process much faster!

What Happens Next?

Once you submit your form, you’re on the radar. The DWSD uses a neighborhood-by-neighborhood approach. When they come to your block to replace the water main, they’ll knock on your door to replace your lead service line at the same time.

In the meantime, if you know you have lead, consider using a water filter certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 53 for lead removal. Or call our helpful homie Ethan to get you a whole house water filtration system! 

Build Your Detroit Future with Confidence

At Make Detroit Home, we believe that making Detroit more livable starts in our own basements. Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer or looking to sell your home, understanding these details builds generational wealth and a safer community.

If you have questions about a property you’re looking at or need a neighborhood guide to find the perfect spot, we’re here to help. Let’s keep making Detroit home: one pipe at a time.