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May 6, 2025 |  By: Iowa News Service

Requirement of disclosure of lead water service lines during real estate transactions

Iowa lawmakers are considering a bill that would require property owners to disclose the presence of lead water service lines during a real estate transaction. Some of Iowa's residential water lines date back more than a century. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates at least half of the children in the United States are at risk of lead exposure from water lines. The Iowa Environmental Council's Cody Smith says the problem is especially acute in Iowa, where most of the homes built before 1980 have lead in the lines that bring water to the house, and adds it will be extremely expensive to address.

"It is estimated that Iowa's service line issue would cost about 900 million dollars statewide. So this is a pressing health concern for the children in our state.", says Smith. 

Iowa is responding to a federal rule passed last year that requires all service lines that contain lead to be replaced by 2035. House File 876 would require sellers to disclose that their house has lead service lines in a real estate transaction.

Iowa utility companies are notifying people if their house has lead in its service lines and offering assistance to remediate it. Smith says homeowners can also find out for themselves if there's lead in their pipes.

"You can use a penny to scratch your service line and you will see if it is copper or PVC pipe and you'll be fine, but oftentimes it is going to be a lead service line.", says Smith. 

H-F 876 has passed the Iowa House and awaits action in the Senate.