Does Dublin's water system have lead service lines?
According to the City of Dublin's 2025 Water Quality Report, published April 1, 2026, no. The city says that after decades of main rehabilitation and replacement and recent inspections of customer meters it has not encountered any lead service lines in its distribution system, and that licensed third-party plumbers who have worked throughout the county agreed from their experience. The city's service line inventory, required under the federal Lead and Copper Rule Revisions, is published on the Georgia EPD transparency dashboard for water system GA1750002.
The same report gives the 2025 tap sampling results. The 90th percentile lead result was 9.7 parts per billion, below the action level of 15, with no violation. Copper's 90th percentile was 200 parts per billion against an action level of 1,300.
| Analyte | Action level | 90th percentile result | Violation | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lead (ppb) | 15 | 9.7 | No | City of Dublin 2025 Water Quality Report |
| Copper (ppb) | 1300 | 200 | No | City of Dublin 2025 Water Quality Report |
If the city's lines are clear, where could lead come from?
From inside the house. The city's report says plainly that lead can enter drinking water through household plumbing that contains lead materials, such as old pipes, solder or fixtures, and that while lead pipes were banned in Georgia in 1986, homes built before that year may still contain lead components. It gives a rough guide by age: homes built before 1970 are more likely to contain partial lead plumbing; homes built between 1970 and 1986 may contain lead solder joining copper pipes; homes built after 1985 are significantly less likely to contain lead; and homes built after 2014 are considered to have nearly zero risk, because of standards that apply even to brass fittings.
How does the city reduce the risk?
The report says the city uses corrosion control at the treatment plant to reduce the potential for lead to leach from plumbing materials into the water, and that lead levels are consistently below EPA limits. Corrosion control lowers the risk; it does not remove lead solder from your pipes.
Know what the city charges, then let an independent local plumber price the repair.
Call (478) 772-6792How do you get your home checked?
The City of Dublin offers a preliminary screening. Customers concerned about the plumbing materials in their homes can call 478-277-5050, and on request the city's team will schedule a visit to conduct a preliminary screening for lead using an approved test strip method. The report also says customers who want their water tested can call the same number, and that individual lead tap sample results for the city are available on request.
For a home on a private well outside the city, the city's laboratory also tests water for non-customers, but its published list of tests covers bacteria, minerals and general chemistry; the well water testing guide lists them. Ask the lab directly about a lead test.
What can you do while you wait?
The report repeats EPA's advice. Use only cold water for drinking, cooking and making baby formula. Boiling water does not remove lead. Before using tap water for drinking or cooking, flush the pipes for several minutes by running the tap, taking a shower or running a load of laundry or dishes; homes with a lead or galvanized service line may need to flush longer. A filter certified by an ANSI-accredited certifier to reduce lead is effective when used as the maker directs. EPA's lead page has more detail.
These steps reduce exposure. They are not a substitute for removing lead materials when you find them.
How can you spot lead in your own plumbing?
Start where the water line enters the house. Lead pipe is dull gray, soft enough that a key scratches it to a shiny silver, and does not attract a magnet. Galvanized steel is also gray but hard, and a magnet sticks to it. Copper is reddish-brown and scratches to a bright copper color. On copper piping, look at the soldered joints: in a home built before 1986, older solder may contain lead. Faucets and valves made before the 2014 lead-free standards can also contain leaded brass.
If you are not sure, take photos to the city's screening visit or to a plumber. A plumber pricing replacement should tell you whether the work is fixtures only, a partial re-pipe or a full re-pipe, and whether a permit and inspection are included.
When should a plumber replace pipe or fixtures?
If the screening or a lab test shows lead, or you can see dull gray soldered joints on old copper or old brass valves and faucets in a pre-1986 home, replacement is the permanent fix. Replacing fixtures is usually a modest job. Replacing soldered copper or galvanized pipe is a re-pipe, which in the City of Dublin normally needs a plumbing permit; the base permit is $170.00 and includes up to two inspections, with $85.00 for each additional inspection, as the permit guide explains. Since 2026, work must meet the 2024 International Plumbing Code with Georgia amendments, covered in the code and license guide.
A Free Quote Request on this page reaches an independent plumber who works in Laurens County. Mention the age of the house, what you found and whether the city has screened it. If you are also replacing the water heater, the water heater guide covers that permit.
| Item | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Plumbing permit requiring inspections, not subject to O.C.G.A. 48-13-9(e)(5): base permit, includes up to 2 inspections | $170.00 | City of Dublin fee schedule, Res. #26-45 |
| Each additional inspection required | $85.00 | City of Dublin fee schedule, Res. #26-45 |
| Trade permit for an accessory structure under 300 square feet | $85.00 | City of Dublin fee schedule, Res. #26-45 |
| Reinspection fee, 1st (may be waived by the City Manager) | $50.00 | City of Dublin fee schedule, Res. #26-45 |
| Reinspection fee, 2nd and subsequent | $100.00 | City of Dublin fee schedule, Res. #26-45 |
| Failure to call for inspection, per inspection | $150.00 | City of Dublin fee schedule, Res. #26-45 |
| Transfer of permit (contractor change) | $10.00 | City of Dublin fee schedule, Res. #26-45 |
| Failure to notify of a contractor change | $50.00 | City of Dublin fee schedule, Res. #26-45 |
| New single-family home or addition, per heated square foot, $200.00 minimum (includes trade permit costs) | $0.25 | City of Dublin fee schedule, Res. #26-45 |
| Temporary certificate of occupancy, residential and multi-family (up to 90 days) | $45.00 per unit | City of Dublin fee schedule, Res. #26-45 |
Figures on this page come from: City of Dublin 2025 Water Quality Report, April 1, 2026 (PDF); Georgia EPD public transparency dashboard: City of Dublin service line inventory (GA1750002); U.S. EPA: Lead in drinking water (linked from the City of Dublin water quality report); City of Dublin Schedule of Fees, updated 9/3/2026, Resolution #26-45 (PDF). Checked 2026-10-29.
Tell us the problem once. Independent plumbers who work in Laurens County can follow up.
Call (478) 772-6792Quick answers for Dublin homeowners
Does Dublin, GA have lead water pipes?
The city's 2025 Water Quality Report says it has not encountered any lead service lines in its distribution system. Lead can still come from solder or fixtures inside older homes.
What were Dublin's 2025 lead test results?
The 90th percentile lead result was 9.7 ppb against an action level of 15 ppb, with no violation.
Can the City of Dublin check my home for lead?
Yes. Call 478-277-5050 to request a preliminary screening with an approved test strip method.