Does GS Construction replace lead service lines?

Service-line replacement itself is licensed plumbing and excavation work — on GS projects it runs through our Illinois-licensed plumbing and excavation partners, and we handle what comes after: restoring the yard, landscaping edges, and any interior finishes the work touched. If a remodel uncovers a lead line, we flag it and point you at the municipal program before anyone spends your money.

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Des Plaines
Lead Pipe Replacement

Des Plaines, IL

Lead water pipe replacement in Des Plaines

No direct homeowner charge per the draft plan — the City proposes to bear the entire cost of the project, including the customer's portion, funded from the City's Water Fund; the plan states the Water Fund "can support the project with substantial rate increasing and no financing is proposed" (i.e., costs recovered through water rates), and that "there are no measures to address regarding affordability for customers/ratepayers" and "no need for structuring payments" since the City bears the entire cost. City estimates $21,500 average per service line and $220,719,000 total. Still a proposed draft plan (submitted to IEPA April 15, 2025, watermarked DRAFT).

Des Plaines's program at a glance

Who supplies the water

City of Des Plaines operates its own water system (IEPA ID IL0310630), purchasing Lake Michigan water from the City of Chicago and the Northwest Water Commission and distributing it to about 18,000 customers. Note: Illinois American Water provides water and sewer service for certain areas of Des Plaines — residents in those areas must contact Illinois American Water directly.

Program

not named (submitted to IEPA as the City of Des Plaines "Proposed Draft Water Service Line Replacement Plan" / Lead Service Line Replacement Plan, April 2025)

What the homeowner pays

No direct homeowner charge per the draft plan — the City proposes to bear the entire cost including the customer's portion, funded through the Water Fund via "substantial rate increasing" (i.e., recovered through water rates). Still a proposed draft plan.

How to check your line

Official Public Service Line Map: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/fc2a37c34f7b4206b5c44756eed7569c (linked from the 2024 Consumer Confidence Report). The city also publishes its Water Service Line Inventory and Pipe Identification Instructions (self-check of the pipe in the basement between entry point and inlet valve) on desplainesil.gov.

How to get into the program

No application form published. Plan states customers are invited to call Public Works with questions (Public Works and Engineering, 1111 Joseph J. Schwab Rd, Des Plaines, IL 60016, 847-391-5464) or participate at regular City Council meetings (first and third Monday of each month).

Worth knowing

Inventory counts per April 2025 draft plan: 16,665 total service lines; 3,431 known lead/galvanized; 6,835 suspected; 51 replaced since 2020. Plan: replace 10,266 lines over 20 years (~514/year; 2,566 by year 5, 5,133 by year 10). The document is a PROPOSED DRAFT plan submitted to Illinois EPA under the Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act — waitlist/scheduling details and coordination with water main projects are not published. City ran a "2023 Lead Service Line Replacement Project" bid. desplainesil.gov blocks direct fetching (Akamai 403); content was obtained via extracted text of the official pages/PDFs.

Sources (Des Plaines official pages , checked Jul 2026): www.desplainesil.gov, www.desplainesil.gov, www.desplainesil.gov, www.desplainesil.gov — program terms change; always confirm current details with the municipality.

The Illinois picture

Illinois' Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act requires every community water supply to inventory its service lines and replace lead ones on a state-mandated schedule. Two practical consequences for homeowners: your municipality can tell you what your line is made of, and full replacement — not partial — is the standard when work happens. Many suburbs coordinate replacements with water-main projects, which is often when the cost-sharing is most generous.

Where we come in

Remodels are where lead lines get discovered — kitchen and bath projects expose the plumbing, and permit inspections check service-line material against the municipal inventory. When that happens on a GS project in Des Plaines, we flag it early, point you at the program above before anyone spends your money, run the replacement through our Illinois-licensed plumbing and excavation partners, and restore everything the dig touched.

GS Construction & Remodeling is a licensed general contractor, not a municipal agency. Program details above summarize official municipal sources and change over time — confirm current terms with Des Plaines before making decisions based on them.

Lead pipes in Des Plaines — common questions

Who pays for lead pipe replacement in Des Plaines?: No direct homeowner charge per the draft plan — the City proposes to bear the entire cost of the project, including the customer's portion, funded from the City's Water Fund; the plan states the Water Fund "can support the project with substantial rate increasing and no financing is proposed" (i.e., costs recovered through water rates), and that "there are no measures to address regarding affordability for customers/ratepayers" and "no need for structuring payments" since the City bears the entire cost. City estimates $21,500 average per service line and $220,719,000 total. Still a proposed draft plan (submitted to IEPA April 15, 2025, watermarked DRAFT). Program terms change — confirm current details with the municipality before planning around them.
How do I find out if my Des Plaines home has a lead water line?: Official Public Service Line Map: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/fc2a37c34f7b4206b5c44756eed7569c (linked from the 2024 Consumer Confidence Report). The city also publishes its Water Service Line Inventory and Pipe Identification Instructions (self-check of the pipe in the basement between entry point and inlet valve) on desplainesil.gov.
Does GS Construction replace lead service lines?: Service-line replacement itself is licensed plumbing and excavation work — on GS projects it runs through our Illinois-licensed plumbing and excavation partners, and we handle what comes after: restoring the yard, landscaping edges, and any interior finishes the work touched. If a remodel uncovers a lead line, we flag it and point you at the municipal program before anyone spends your money.
Why do lead lines come up during remodels?: Kitchen and bathroom remodels expose the plumbing where it enters the home, and permit inspections increasingly check service-line material against the municipal inventory Illinois law requires. Finding out mid-project is normal — knowing your village's program before demo day is better.

Remodeling in Des Plaines?

We check service-line implications as part of scoping kitchen, bath, and whole-home remodels — free in-home estimate, itemized scope.

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