Lead Plumbing Risk
Drinking water in pre-1970 pipework
Lead plumbing risk is an age-based flag, not a survey finding. Homes built before 1970 may still have lead water pipes, which can leach lead into drinking water. Lead is a health hazard, most of all for young children and during pregnancy. Lead pipework fell out of use around 1970, so the flag keys on the build date, UK-wide.
What This Means
Nobody has looked at this property's pipes. The flag says only that the build date puts it in the era when lead was normal. Many pre-1970 homes were replumbed long ago, so the pipe under your kitchen sink may already be copper. Ownership splits at the boundary stopcock. The water company owns the pipe on the street side, and you own the pipe running into the house. This does not normally affect mortgage approval, buildings insurance or resale.
Practical Advice
- Ask your water supplier to test the water at the kitchen tap, which most do free of charge.
- Scratch the pipe under the kitchen sink: lead is dull grey and soft, and shows shiny silver beneath.
- Ask your water supplier about its lead replacement policy, since most replace their side free when you replace yours or when a test fails.
- Run the tap to clear standing water before drinking or cooking, until any lead pipe is replaced.
Key Points
- Replacing the private supply pipe from the boundary into the house typically costs £1,000 to £3,000, depending on length and access.
- The drinking water standard for lead is 10 micrograms per litre, and your supplier tests against that figure rather than against the pipe material.
Additional Information
Regulators and support schemes differ by nation. In England and Wales, the Drinking Water Inspectorate oversees suppliers. Scottish Water runs a lead pipe replacement scheme, overseen by the Drinking Water Quality Regulator for Scotland. Northern Ireland Water is the contact there. The linked guidance covers England and Wales only.