The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued two new guidance documents intended to help public water systems carry out the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI). The publications—an Access Tips guide and a Service Line Inventory Tips guide—aim to convert existing federal requirements into plain language and include worked examples to reduce confusion for utilities and state regulators. EPA sought public input on both documents in April 2026 and finalized them in August 2026. The release aligns with a broader effort to pair guidance with funding and technical assistance for lead service line work.
Under the LCRI, water systems completed an initial inventory of service line materials in October 2024. A baseline inventory update is due by November 1, 2027, followed by annual updates. Most systems have until December 31, 2037, to resolve service lines still categorized as “unknown.” The tips materials are intended to help utilities meet these milestones by clarifying acceptable evidence options and documentation practices.
The Service Line Inventory Tips guide identifies evidence sources beyond direct visual verification, such as construction and plumbing code records, documented statements from experienced system personnel, and statistical or predictive models, including AI-based approaches when approved by a state primacy agency. It also explains how utilities can determine that a galvanized line is not “galvanized requiring replacement” by demonstrating it was never located downstream of a lead line. Neighborhood-level information, including local ordinances that prohibited lead pipe installation during specific construction periods, is cited as a viable way to support these determinations.
The Access Tips guide addresses scenarios where utilities cannot physically access a service line to complete replacement. The LCRI requires replacement of lead and “galvanized requiring replacement” lines under the control of the water system, and the guide clarifies that each utility must determine and document when it lacks such control. The document provides direction on the types of records and communications that can substantiate access limitations.
Common barriers described in the guidance include a property owner declining consent after a “reasonable effort,” defined as four contact attempts using at least two communication methods. Other examples include local ordinances that restrict excavation to periods that coincide with water main work, or state laws that mandate the use of state-contracted crews operating on set schedules. Worked examples illustrate how systems can remain in compliance by reporting these barriers, continuing outreach, and periodically reassessing conditions as circumstances evolve.
The guidance accompanies EPA’s wider initiatives on lead in drinking water this year. Related efforts include a redesigned lead information hub, a children’s health StoryMap, and continued funding through the Real Water Technical Assistance program. According to EPA materials referenced in the article, these activities are part of nearly three billion dollars announced in 2026 to support identification and removal of lead service lines.