Home Test Instructions

What Is Your Service Line Made Of?

The Town recently completed a water service line inventory and is happy to report no lead lines were found. Want to know if your water service line is made of copper, plastic or galvanized metal? Testing at home is simple!

	1. Locate your Water service line           Locate your water service line outside your house.
	2. Grab a key, magnet or coin These items will be used for steps three through five.
	3. Magnet Test  Does the magnet stick to the pipe? If so, the pipe is most likely galvanized iron or steel. If it  doesn’t stick, continue to the scratch test.
	4. Scratch Test Lightly scratch your water service line close to the ground with a key or coin. If you scratch the pipe and it is a reddish-brown color, that indicates the pipe is copper.
	5. Tapping  Test Use a key or coin to tap the pipe. If you hear a metal tapping sound, the pipe is copper, or galvanized iron or steel.

What the Results Mean
Pipe  Material	Plastic	Copper	Galvanized
Magnet Result	Does not stick	Does not stick	Sticks
Scratch Result	Matches pipe surface	Shiny Copper	Dull Gray
Tapping Result	Dull Sound	Metallic, ringing sound	Metallic, ringing sound

For additional questions, call 561-741-2735 or email winfo@jupiter.fl.us.

Other resources:

EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline: 800-426-4791 
National Lead Information Center: 800-424-LEAD
Lead in Drinking Water Web Site: www.epa.gov/safewater/lead