Lead Service Line Inventory

As part of the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) published December 16, 2021, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires that all community water systems (CWS) and non-transient non-community (NTNC) water systems develop an inventory of all service line connections, both system-owned and customer-owned. The inventory must identify the potential presence of lead within each service line connection. The initial inventory must be completed and submitted to the North Carolina Public Water Supply Section by October 16, 2024.

Lead Service Line Inventory Template

Water systems in North Carolina are required to use the appropriate template provided by the Public Water Supply Section. Please contact the Public Water Supply Section's Lead and Copper compliance team at pwss.lcr@deq.nc.gov if you need assistance in accessing your template. 

• Template for water systems with 500 or fewer connections
• Template for water systems with greater than 500 but no more than 50,000 connections
• Template for water systems with greater than 50,000 connections

Save a copy of the inventory template to your hard drive or network drive using the following naming convention: Water System ID Number_LSLI_MMDDYYYY (e.g, NC0011222_LSLI_10162024). The template includes five tabs that will need to be completed for each water system, as well as instructions for filling out each tab. DO NOT change the name of any tabs on the inventory template. Additional instructions and information for completing your template are provided in the Inventory Resources and Guidance section below.

The template files above have been locked to prevent unintentional formatting changes to the templates. If you need additional functionality in your spreadsheet, you may download an unlocked version of the template here. Please note: any changes to the headings, tab names, and column locations may cause your inventory to be rejected by the State.

Inventory Submission

Instructions on submitting the inventory will be provided at a later date.

Inventory Resources and Guidance

• Service Line Inventory Statistical Methods and Predictive Modeling Guidance - Printable PDF copy of the Service Line Inventory Statistical Methods and Predictive Modeling Guidance for the State of North Carolina.
• Guidance for Classifying Services Lines with Different Ownership Types - Printable PDF copy of guidance for classifying service lines that have different ownership types. 
• Lead Service Line Inventory Instructions - Printable PDF copy of lead service line inventory instructions for the required North Carolina template.
• Initial Lead Service Line Inventory Communication Letter - General PDF copy of North Carolina's initial communication letter, that was mailed out to community and non-transient non-community water systems on December 20, 2022.  
• U.S. EPA's Guidance for Developing and Maintaining a Service Line Inventory - Printable PDF copy of this U.S. EPA guidance document.
  • Summary of EPA Guidance - Printable PDF copy of the Public Water Supply Section's summary of the EPA's Guidance for Developing and Maintaining a Service Line Inventory
• NC Construction Materials Report - Link to webpage where data from North Carolina's Construction Material Report application can be downloaded.
  • Instructions for Downloading Data - Printable PDF copy of instructions for how to download data from North Carolina's Construction Material Report application.
• Proposed Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) - Link to the proposed Lead and Copper Rule Improvements within the Federal Register.
• Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) - Link to the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions within the Code of Federal Regulations.
• Lead Service Line Replacement Funding - Solicitations for funding through the Division of Water Infrastructure are currently being accepted.
• Lead Service Line Inventory Overview Presentation - Printable PDF copy of presentation given at the North Carolina Rural Water Association (NCRWA) Conference on May 17, 2023.