Lead Line Surveys

Our Pipe Identification Survey will be conducted on our WOMS. This will allow our surveys to be sorted and saved virtually. The work order will contain the name of the technician conducting the survey, the address of the customer, and the date of inspection. There will be six items that will be completed to deduce the type of pipe material. The technician will answer where the pipe is located. The service line must be 24-inches behind the meter box. Technicians will dig down to the primary service line with a vacuum truck/trailer. Once located, they will select the closest material based on visual observation. Lead will be dull gray and soft metal. Galvanized steel will be silver or grey, have a rough texture, and may show rust spots. PVC will be white or gray plastic and have a smooth surface. Copper will be a reddish-brown or greenish if oxidized and have a smooth surface. If a technician cannot clearly make a visual inspection of the pipe material, they can fill out a description of Other type. Upon a visual inspection’s completion, a magnet test will be conducted. Technicians are given a magnet to test the pipe’s response. If the magnet sticks, it is likely Galvanized Steel. If the magnet does not stick, it is possible for it to be Lead, Copper, or PVC. Once this test is completed, a scratch test can be conducted. Either with a coin or key, a technician will describe the response the scratch makes to the pipe. If it is soft and shiny underneath, they can deduce it is Lead. If there are hard flakes or chips, it is like Galvanized Steel. No metal components, it is PVC. Finally, if the scratch is bright or shiny, it is likely Copper. After the first three tests, technicians may observe if there is visible corrosion or buildup. If there are white, chalky deposits, it can be Galvanized Steel or PVC joints. If there are greenish or bluish deposits, it’s Copper corrosion. If there are rusty spots, it is likely Galvanized Steel. If there is no visible corrosion, they will state there is no corrosion. Technicians can also make additional notes, which is the final data point collected in the survey. Once all tests are done or enough tests give a clear identification, the technician will enter the type of pipe material that the customer’s location.