Pennsylvania American Water Lead Service Line Program: A Pottstown Homeowner's Guide
PAW is replacing lead service lines in its Pottstown service area, but the program only covers what the utility owns. Here is what PAW handles, what you are responsible for, and how to coordinate both.
The two-part service line problem
A water service line has two owners. Pennsylvania American Water owns the water main in the street and the service line from the main to the curb stop valve at the property line. The homeowner owns the service line from the curb stop into the home and to the water meter. This ownership split matters for lead service line replacement because utility-side and private-side work are handled separately, by different parties, on different timelines.
In Pottstown's pre-1940 housing stock, both portions of the service line were frequently installed in lead at original construction. That means addressing the full lead service line path requires both PAW replacing their side and the homeowner replacing the private side. If only one portion is replaced, lead can still leach into drinking water from the unreplaced portion.
What PAW's program covers
Pennsylvania American Water has committed to replacing all lead service lines in its service area, prioritizing areas with known concentrations of lead pipe. In Pottstown, PAW's replacement program focuses on the utility-owned portion from the water main to the curb stop. When PAW replaces the utility side, they notify the property owner and coordinate access to the yard along the pipe run.
PAW's program does not extend to the private side, from the curb stop to the water meter inside the home. That portion is outside the utility's infrastructure and is the homeowner's responsibility to maintain and replace. The EPA and state environmental regulators have noted that replacing only the utility side of a full-lead service line can temporarily increase lead levels in drinking water due to disturbance of the connection point, which is one reason coordinated simultaneous replacement of both sides is preferable where possible.
Finding out your service line status with PAW
Pennsylvania American Water publishes a service line material inventory accessible online. You can enter your Pottstown address and retrieve the recorded material for both the utility-owned portion and the homeowner-owned portion, where that information is available. Records show lead, galvanized steel, copper, plastic, or unknown. Unknown records are common where PAW has not yet physically inspected the utility side; for pre-1940 Pottstown homes, unknown should be treated as potentially lead until confirmed otherwise.
If PAW has already replaced the utility side at your property and your record shows copper or plastic on the utility side but the homeowner side remains lead or unknown, the priority is private-side replacement. The new copper or plastic utility connection meets the public main but the remaining lead private-side pipe still poses a risk at the household level.
Coordinating utility and private-side replacement
The ideal sequence is simultaneous replacement of both sides when PAW is scheduled to work on the utility portion. When PAW notifies you of upcoming utility-side replacement in your area, that is the optimal time to schedule private-side replacement with us. Coordinating both scopes means your yard is disturbed once, the connection point between the two portions is made with new fittings on both sides, and the full service line path from main to meter is clear of lead in a single project.
If PAW has already replaced the utility side without private-side coordination, private-side replacement is still straightforward. We access the curb stop connection, run new copper or PEX from there to your meter, and restore the yard and basement entry. We handle the Pottstown Borough Code Enforcement permit and coordinate with PAW on the connection at the curb stop.
What to do while waiting for utility-side replacement
PAW's replacement program works through service areas systematically, and the timeline to completion for a specific address depends on the program schedule. In the interim, the EPA recommends flushing cold water from your kitchen tap for 30 to 60 seconds before using water for drinking or cooking, especially first thing in the morning or after the water has been sitting in the line for several hours. A certified NSF/ANSI 53 or NSF/ANSI 58 lead-reducing filter installed at the kitchen drinking tap provides additional protection at the point of use. These are interim measures, not substitutes for full lead service line replacement on both sides.
Frequently asked questions
Does PAW's program cover the pipe inside my house?
No. PAW's program covers the utility-owned portion from the water main to the curb stop valve at the property line. The service line from the curb stop to your water meter inside the home is the homeowner's responsibility. We handle private-side lead service line replacement independently.
My PAW record says 'unknown' for my service line. What should I do?
Treat it as potentially lead until confirmed otherwise, especially for pre-1940 properties in Pottstown. Do the physical scratch test on the pipe where it enters your basement foundation wall, and contact PAW to ask when your area is scheduled for utility-side inspection or replacement.
Can I schedule private-side replacement before PAW replaces the utility side?
Yes. Private-side replacement from the curb stop to your meter can be done independently of PAW's utility program timeline. The curb stop valve is the separation point; we replace from there into your home. You can then coordinate with PAW later when the utility side is scheduled.
Will replacing only the private side eliminate lead exposure?
Replacing the private side eliminates the lead exposure from the homeowner-owned portion of the pipe. If the utility side is still lead, some risk remains from that portion. Coordinating replacement of both sides simultaneously provides the most complete protection.
Ready to replace the private-side lead service line in your Pottstown home? We coordinate with PAW and handle the permit.