Lead pipes and drinking water
Does a house built before 1970 definitely still have lead pipes?
No. The Drinking Water Inspectorate says lead pipework was commonly used for connections before 1970 and that the use was then banned. A pre-1970 house may still have lead, including underground, if it was never modernised. It does not say every pre-1970 house still has it. A post-1970 house is unlikely to, which is still not a certificate.
Last reviewed 24 October 2026. Written for buyers in England and Wales unless this answer says otherwise. No named surveyor has signed this page. It is general guidance, not a report on your house, and not legal advice.
What is the fuller explanation?
The useful step is the same either side of that year: look at what is visible, and ask the water company to test the kitchen tap if you are unsure. A dull grey pipe where the water enters can support a suspicion. Paint and boxing hide pipes. The surveyor reports what they could see, not the buried communication pipe in the pavement.
Do not negotiate as if the year on the deeds were a laboratory result. DWI’s standard of 10 micrograms per litre is applied to a sample, not to a construction date. There is no replacement price on this page. A WaterSafe-accredited plumber is who DWI points you to for plumbing work, not the surveying firm.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Which pipes did you see, and which were boxed in?
- Are you inferring lead from the age alone?
- Did the seller say the supply pipe had been replaced, and is that in writing?
What are the typical next steps?
- Treat the build year as a reason to ask, not as a finding.
- Get a water-company test if anything visible suggests lead or if you simply cannot see the incoming pipe.
- Keep any plumber’s quote separate from the survey fee.
Costs vary with the building and with who you instruct. Where this page does not cite a published figure, ask the surveyor, a relevant specialist, or your solicitor for a written quote. Do not treat a forum average as the price.
Also asked about this
Can lead solder still be a source after the pipes were replaced?
DWI says older brass fittings and, wrongly, lead solder on drinking-water joints can add lead. A new copper run does not prove every joint.
Should you walk away because the house is pre-1970?
No. Age is not a lead result. Test if you need the fact before you decide.