Plumbing explainer
Lead water pipes in older Toronto homes
Plenty of Toronto houses put up before roughly 1955 got their water through a lead service line. If yours is one of them, the pipe is probably still there unless someone has replaced it.
- Pipe checked before the meter
- Water tested
- City program details reviewed
- Private side replacement planned
Questions? Call(365) 517-7215. A plumber picks up, day or night.
- Open 24/7. Phone answered every hour, holidays too.
- Licensed & insured. Trade licence details given on request.
- Shown before cut. You see the fault and the plan first.
- Gas by gas techs. Licensed gas technicians on gas heaters.
How to recognise lead
- Inspect the pipe rising out of the basement floor or front wall just ahead of the meter.
- Lead is a soft, matte grey metal that turns bright silver if you scratch it gently with a key.
- Magnets slide right off it.
- Galvanized steel shares the grey colour but grabs a magnet, and copper is a penny colour.
Why it matters
- Health Canada advises keeping lead in drinking water as low as reasonably possible, especially for young children and pregnant people.
- Running the tap for a short while after water has been sitting, and using cold water for cooking, are common interim steps while a replacement is planned.
Testing
- Residents have been able to get free lead sampling kits from Toronto Water.
- Check the city’s current program for how to request one and how to read the results.
Replacing both sides
- The municipality owns the stretch from the water main to your lot line; past that, it belongs to you.
- Replacing only one side leaves lead in the line, so coordinating with the city’s schedule or program is worth the effort.
Close the main valve first, phone second.