Get the Lead Out - FAQ

Through the Get the Lead Out program, Halifax Water is replacing public and private lead water service lines at no charge to the property owner over the next two decades. Most lead service line replacements will be completed alongside HRM’s street paving and renewal schedule to minimize disruption to the community and be cost-efficient for ratepayers. A limited number of replacements will also be completed outside of these large projects at the request of property owners and will be selected based on maximizing the benefit to public health.

Historically the removal of all lead service lines relied on property owners and Halifax Water working together to each replace their part of a lead service line. With this approach, lead service lines would have remained in Halifax and Dartmouth well into the 2050’s. 

The Get the Lead Out program now allows Halifax Water to coordinate the replacement of lead service lines with other large-scale projects. This new approach will see all lead service lines removed by 2038.
 

Halifax Water will be replacing all lead service lines by 2038 at no cost to the property owner. Property owners can apply to be on a list to have their lead service line replaced or will be automatically added to a list for replacement when their street is scheduled to be part of a large-scale paving project.

Most replacements will be completed alongside HRM’s street paving schedule to minimize disruption to the community and be cost efficient for ratepayers. Some additional replacements will be completed through smaller projects, and are designed to maximize the benefit to public health by focusing on populations who are at high risk to lead exposure, which includes children under 6, and pregnant/breastfeeding women.  

Follow the steps on this page to see if you could have a lead service line.

If you confirm that you may have a lead service line, complete this application form.

Property owners who want to replace their portion of the lead service line sooner can access Halifax Water's Get the Lead Out rebate program which will reimburse 25% of the replacement cost, up to a maximum of $2,500. Learn more here.

No, the Lateral Loan and 25% rebate programs remain available to any property owner who replaces their lead service line at their own cost.

Halifax Water offers free lead sampling to customers who have a lead service line. To find out if you may have a lead service line visit our Get the Lead Out Page. Once you have confirmed that you may have a lead service line, contact us to request a lead sampling kit by emailing lead@halifaxwater.ca or calling our Customer Care Center at 902-420-9287.

Halifax Water must balance this program with other critical infrastructure improvement projects, like water main replacements and upgrades to treatment plants.  

In order to ensure this program remains affordable for all Halifax Water ratepayers, it is important that each year we maximize the number of replacements completed while balancing a sustainable budget. 

The program is designed to keep pace with HRM’s street paving and renewal program. This allows Halifax Water to replace all lead service lines on a street at a lower cost and reduces the community disruption caused by work taking place at scattered locations.

The Get the Lead Out program is not retroactive. Any replacements completed by a private contractor (after August 22, 2017) are eligible for the 25% rebate.

In most cases, yes, your property will be fully restored.

Through the Get the Lead Out program, Halifax Water can fund up to $10,000 per replacement, including reinstatement work. Most replacements are expected to be under $10,000, but there are situations with long service lines, retaining walls, or other complicating factors that may be over $10,000. In these situations, the contractor and the property owner would need to determine the total cost and arrange payment of the portion over $10,000 or agree on a less expensive restoration plan to stay within budget.

Though we understand applicants will want to know when their lead service line will be replaced, this information will only be available once Halifax Water has hired a contractor to replace your lead service line. Once a contractor has been hired, you will receive a letter with more detailed information a few weeks before the start of construction.