Lead vs galvanized pipes
Lead pipe is soft and doesn't attract a magnet. Galvanized pipe is steel coated in zinc, is hard and does attract a magnet. Both show up in lead service line inventories because galvanized pipe can collect lead.
Telling them apart
| Lead | Galvanized steel | |
|---|---|---|
| Magnet | Doesn't stick | Sticks |
| Scratch with a coin | Shiny silver, soft | Stays dull gray, hard |
| Joints | Rounded, bulb-like "wiped" joints | Threaded fittings |
| Typical era | Before 1986, mostly before the 1950s | Early 1900s to the 1960s |
Why galvanized lines matter
When galvanized pipe sits downstream of a lead pipe, or a lead connector called a gooseneck, lead particles can build up in its rough, corroded interior and later break loose. EPA calls these lines galvanized requiring replacement (GRR) and treats them like lead lines for replacement. Nationally, community water systems reported 986,963 of them, next to 2,167,443 lead lines.
Galvanized that isn't GRR
A galvanized line that was never connected to lead isn't counted as GRR, but old galvanized pipe still corrodes, narrows and can release iron and other metals. Many owners replace it anyway.
Step-by-step check: how to tell if you have a lead pipe. Largest counts of lead and galvanized lines: Chicago, Cleveland Public Water System, New York City System.
Look up your water system or ZIP code on the Lead Pipe Map home page to see how many lead lines it reported.
Common questions
Do galvanized pipes contain lead?
Galvanized pipe is zinc-coated steel, not lead, but it can collect lead particles if it was ever downstream of a lead pipe. Those lines are classed as "galvanized requiring replacement."
How can I tell if my pipe is lead or galvanized?
Hold a magnet to it. A magnet sticks to galvanized steel but not to lead. Lead also scratches to a shiny silver color.
Do galvanized pipes need to be replaced?
Galvanized lines that are or were downstream of lead must be replaced under EPA rules. Other old galvanized pipe isn’t required to be replaced but often is because it corrodes.
More: How to tell if your home has a lead service line · What "lead status unknown" means · Water filters that remove lead · How to test your tap water for lead · Lead service line replacement: cost, who pays and deadlines · Does a Brita filter remove lead?