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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Evanston
Lead Pipe Replacement

Evanston, IL

Lead water pipe replacement in Evanston

$0 if your block is in the City's Annual Water Main / Lead Service Line Replacement Project: the Annual LSLR page states "Fully Funded by the City - No cost to the homeowner" for full lead service line replacement, but you must sign and return a Right-of-Entry form to participate. Outside those project areas, the homeowner pays for the private-side replacement (home to the parkway valve); once that work is done, "the City will replace the lead portion of service from the parkway to the water main (public side) at no expense to the property owner." The Private-Side LSLR Incentive Pilot can offset the homeowner's cost with a $2,500 reimbursement plus waived City permit fees (approximately $450 value), first-come first-served, limited to 50 participants with total funding of approximately $125,000 — note this is a reimbursement, so the homeowner pays upfront. A separate 2024 grant-funded pilot that replaced private-side lead lines at no cost in low- to moderate-income areas was completed in 2025 and is no longer available.

Evanston's program at a glance

Who supplies the water

Own system — City of Evanston operates its own water utility (Water Production Bureau, water plant at 555 Lincoln Street); Lake Michigan water

Program

City of Evanston Lead Service Line Replacement (LSLR) Program — components include the Annual LSLR / Annual Water Main Project, the Private-Side LSLR Pilot, and the Private-Side Lead Service Line Replacement Incentive Pilot Program

What the homeowner pays

$0 if your block is in the City's Annual Water Main / LSLR Project area (fully City-funded; requires signing and returning a Right-of-Entry form). Outside those areas: homeowner pays for their private-side replacement (City covers the City side); the Incentive Pilot offsets this with a $2,500 reimbursement — paid after the homeowner pays upfront — plus waived permit fees (~$450 value) for up to 50 participants. A separate grant-funded pilot that covered private-side costs in low- to moderate-income areas was completed in 2025 and is no longer available.

How to check your line

City's Water Service Information Map — residents enter their address or water billing account to see their service line material (per the official LSLR site); the site also describes visual self-inspection (lead pipe is grey vs. copper's dark orange).

How to get into the program

Annual LSLR Project: eligible owners in project areas sign and return a Right-of-Entry (ROE) form online, by mail (City of Evanston, 555 Lincoln Street, Attn: Hibo Mohamed), or email [email protected]. Incentive Pilot: contact Tim Bartus at 847-448-8220 (Water Production Bureau), complete registration form, hire licensed plumber, permits (fees waived), inspection, then receive $2,500. General: 311 / 847-448-4311; LSLR Hotline 847-643-7997; [email protected].

Worth knowing

Per Illinois Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act, Evanston submitted a draft LSLR Plan April 2026; final Plan due 2027, with an anticipated ~5% annual replacement rate once approved (program takes effect 2027). Funding: ~$2-5 million annually expected via Illinois EPA State Revolving Fund; 2024 pilot funded by an Illinois DCEO grant; 2025 SRF project targets low-to-moderate income areas with young children. Current 2025-2026 project underway (completion anticipated June 2026); 2026-2027 project construction begins August 2026. Post-replacement, homeowners receive free point-of-use filters and testing kits. Replacement is largely scheduled via annual water main projects in City-designated project areas; the incentive pilot is first-come, first-served. Official program website: evanstonleadreplacement.org.

Sources (Evanston official pages , checked Jul 2026): www.evanstonleadreplacement.org, www.cityofevanston.org, www.evanstonleadreplacement.org — 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 Evanston, 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 Evanston before making decisions based on them.

Lead pipes in Evanston — common questions

Who pays for lead pipe replacement in Evanston?: $0 if your block is in the City's Annual Water Main / Lead Service Line Replacement Project: the Annual LSLR page states "Fully Funded by the City - No cost to the homeowner" for full lead service line replacement, but you must sign and return a Right-of-Entry form to participate. Outside those project areas, the homeowner pays for the private-side replacement (home to the parkway valve); once that work is done, "the City will replace the lead portion of service from the parkway to the water main (public side) at no expense to the property owner." The Private-Side LSLR Incentive Pilot can offset the homeowner's cost with a $2,500 reimbursement plus waived City permit fees (approximately $450 value), first-come first-served, limited to 50 participants with total funding of approximately $125,000 — note this is a reimbursement, so the homeowner pays upfront. A separate 2024 grant-funded pilot that replaced private-side lead lines at no cost in low- to moderate-income areas was completed in 2025 and is no longer available. Program terms change — confirm current details with the municipality before planning around them.
How do I find out if my Evanston home has a lead water line?: City's Water Service Information Map — residents enter their address or water billing account to see their service line material (per the official LSLR site); the site also describes visual self-inspection (lead pipe is grey vs. copper's dark orange).
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 Evanston?

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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