Lead pipes in Reading homes: how to check and replace them

Lead was used for water pipes in many homes built before 1970, and plenty of older houses in and around Reading date from that time. Many have been updated since, but not all. Here's how to check yours, what Thames Water offers, and what replacing a lead pipe typically costs.

How to tell if you have lead pipes

Look at the pipe where it comes up into your home, usually just below the inside stop valve under the kitchen sink. Then look at any pipes you can see in cupboards, under stairs and in the loft.

• Lead pipe is dull grey, often with rounded, bulging joints rather than neat fittings.
• It's soft. Gently scratching it with a coin shows bright silver metal underneath.
• A magnet won't stick to it.
• Tapping it gives a dull thud rather than a ring.
• Copper pipe is orange-brown, and modern plastic supply pipe is usually blue or black.

A plumber can check for you in a few minutes, and can often tell whether the pipe outside under the garden is lead too.

Why replace lead pipes?

Lead can dissolve into water, especially water that has sat in the pipes for a while. Water companies, including Thames Water, recommend that customers with lead pipes replace them. If you're worried about your health or a child's, speak to your GP or call NHS 111.

The Thames Water lead pipe replacement scheme

Your home's lead supply pipe is your responsibility, but the short pipe between the main and your boundary belongs to Thames Water. Under its lead pipe scheme, Thames Water says it will replace its own lead pipe if you replace yours.

• Your property needs to have been built before 1970.
• You need to replace your section of lead pipe within three months of applying.
• If your plumber is WaterSafe approved and gives you a certificate for the work, Thames Water doesn't need to inspect the open trench.
• Thames Water pauses the scheme over the winter. When this guide was written in November 2026, it said applications would reopen in spring 2027, so check its website before you book.

What does lead pipe replacement cost?

These are typical UK ranges checked in November 2026. Prices in the South East tend to be at the higher end.

• A short supply pipe run under open lawn, under 8 metres: typically £400 to £700.
• A typical front garden replacement: typically £450 to £1,500 or more.
• A long run under a driveway, path or patio, including making good: typically £1,500 to £3,000 or more.
• Replacing lead pipework inside the house: typically £200 to £600 extra.

Moling or digging a trench?

Many plumbers replace supply pipes by moling. A tool is driven underground between two small holes, pulling the new pipe behind it, so most of the garden or drive stays intact. Moling typically adds around £250 to £500 for the equipment and operator. It doesn't work everywhere: rubble-filled ground, tree roots and other buried services can mean a traditional trench is needed. The new pipe is usually laid around 750 mm deep to protect it from frost.

What to do until the pipe is replaced

• First thing in the morning, or after you've been away, run the cold kitchen tap for about two minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. Thames Water suggests this to flush out water that has been sitting in the pipe.
• Only use water from the cold kitchen tap for drinking and cooking, never from the hot tap.
• Use the flushed water for something useful, such as watering plants.
• Don't rely on boiling, as it doesn't remove lead.

When you get quotes, ask whether the price includes the internal pipe up to the stop valve, a new stop valve, reconnecting at the boundary and making good the garden or drive.