DC Water's Lead Free DC Program: Where the District Stands

DC Water estimates there are more than 42,000 service lines across the District still made of lead or galvanized iron, pipes that were standard before the 1980s and that can leach lead into water as it sits in contact with them.

The program

Lead Free DC, launched in 2019, is DC Water's initiative to accelerate replacement of those lines and bring all of the utility's lead-reduction work under one program. It replaces both the public and private portions of a lead service line at no direct cost to the homeowner, a meaningful commitment, since replacing just the utility-owned portion while leaving the private side in place can actually disturb sediment and temporarily worsen lead levels at the tap.

Progress so far

As of early 2026, DC Water reported having replaced more than 11,000 of the roughly 42,000 known or suspected lead service lines citywide, with construction progress tracked publicly on an online dashboard. The utility selects blocks for replacement each year using a data-driven prioritization model, and coordinates timing with the District's street paving schedule where possible.

How to check your own address

DC Water's public dashboard lets residents look up their specific address to see their service line's verified material and where their block stands in the replacement queue: pending, scheduled, in progress, or already complete. Verification matters because many older DC properties simply don't have historical records of what pipe was originally installed, so part of the program's work is confirming pipe material before it can even be scheduled for replacement.

What residents can do in the meantime

DC Water recommends running the tap before drinking if water has sat unused for several hours, and using a certified filter rated for lead reduction while a lead line is still awaiting replacement.