Lead & Copper

Brunswick County’s Lead and Copper Program is implementing actions to meet the new guidelines under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Lead and Copper Rule Improvements.

In accordance with this EPA rule, Brunswick County Public Utilities is actively working to identify the composition of all publicly- and privately-owned water lines in the system. This is done by a variety of methods, including physical verification of lines at the water meter and historic property records. As of Oct. 16, 2024, Public Utilities has finalized an initial inventory of the system, found below under the 'Service Line Inventory' tab. 

Brunswick County Public Utilities' system has been designated as non-lead by NCDEQ. This means that, to date, no lead service lines have been found in BCPU's system on either the public or the private side of the line and that it is statistically unlikely to encounter lead lines in the system. However, Brunswick County is still encouraging residents and property owners of homes/structures built in 1987 or earlier to take steps to determine whether their private water lines servicing their home or property could potentially expose them to lead materials.

Types of Service Lines

  • Public Service Lines: Water service lines that are owned by Brunswick County Public Utilities. These lines typically run from the water main to the water meter.
  • Private service lines: Water service lines that are owned by the private property owner. These lines typically run from the water meter to the house.


Do I Have Lead or Copper Service Lines in My Home/Property?

The use of lead in drinking water service lines was banned in 1986. Homes constructed after the ban are unlikely to use service lines that contain lead materials. 

Historically, Brunswick County did not use lead as a plumbing material for its service lines. This historical data was used to help create the County's initial service line inventory.

If your home/structure was built in 1987 or earlier, it is important for you to check your private service lines for potential lead exposure. If you find evidence of lead materials in your water service line, please fill out BCPU's Water Service Line Material Survey.

Property owners should also check the plumbing materials inside the home, as they may also be a source of lead contamination. You can check the lines where they enter your home (typically in a basement or crawl space) by the shut-off valve, as well as the piping to your water faucets.

Service Line Materials

Examples of service line materials include plastic, lead, copper, and galvanized steel.

Examples of water service line materials include plastic, lead, copper, and galvanized steel.


The most commonly used plumbing material in Brunswick County is plastic, which is commonly white, black, or blue pipe. Copper pipe is the color of a penny, though in the ground it can oxidize and turn a green-blue color on the outside. Lead and galvanized pipe look similar, but can be distinguished by scratching the metal or using a magnet. Lead will easily scratch and will NOT be magnetized, whereas galvanized will typically react to a strong magnet. Galvanized pipe is also susceptible to rust, whereas lead is not.

Service Line Inventory Map

Type your property address into the search bar on the map to find your service line material.

All service lines in the BCPU system are non-lead. In this map, they are differentiated by:

  • Galvanized- a steel or iron pipe that was coated in zinc to prevent corrosion. While not required, we recommend replacing outdated galvanized lines as good practice.
  • Non-lead- the service line material was verified as such by either physical inspection or by age of construction.
  • Non-lead by Statistical Analysis- the service line is most likely (less than 1% chance) non-lead service line materials based on statistical calculations due to the non-lead status of other lines in the area.

Understanding Lead Exposure

Exposure to lead in drinking water can cause serious health effects in all age groups. Infants and children exposed to lead can have increased risk of behavior and learning problems, lower IQ, and shorter attention spans. The children of women who are exposed to lead before or during pregnancy can have increased risk of these adverse health effects. Adults exposed to lead can have increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, reproductive issues, and kidney or nervous system problems.

Lead can enter drinking water when pipes and plumbing fixtures that contain lead corrode, especially where the water has high acidity or low mineral content.