Lead Pipe Data by Area — California

492 areas across California with enough data for a dedicated breakdown.

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Lead pipe replacement law in California

California has required a lead service line inventory since 2018 and a state-specific replacement timeline since 2020, under Health & Safety Code § 116885 (added by SB 1398 in 2016, amended by SB 427 in 2017) — years before the federal Lead and Copper Rule Revisions existed. Any community water system that found lead lines had to submit a replacement schedule to the State Water Resources Control Board by July 1, 2020, which the board reviews and can revise; SWRCB guidance describes an expectation of replacement "as soon as possible," generally not exceeding 10 years. In February 2026, the SWRCB reported that no lead service lines remained in the state's reported inventories.

Separately from any state law, the EPA's federal Lead and Copper Rule Improvements require every water system nationwide to submit a baseline inventory and an approved replacement plan by November 1, 2027, then fully replace all lead and "galvanized requiring replacement" lines under its control on a schedule of 10 years or less from that date, replacing at least 10% of its known lead/GRR lines per year. A narrow exception allows a longer schedule only for the roughly 1% of systems with an unusually dense concentration of lead lines, and partial (non-emergency) replacements are prohibited.