For the best use of resources—environmental, fiscal, and beyond—the City will verify and replace lead service lines based on existing scheduled construction work:

• Road improvement plan
• Water main improvement plan
• Capital improvement plan

This way, lead service line replacements can be done along with the work already happening on your streets or water mains, allowing for fewer periods of construction noise, service interruptions, etc.

External Verifications will begin on 4/15/2024 for the following streets:

• Wolcott
• Goodrich
• Mahan
• Shevlin
• Brickley
• Rosewood

Although the water Ferndale delivers to customers is safe, lead can get into the water if it passes through a lead service line. Lead in drinking water can cause health problems for people of all ages, particularly pregnant women, infants, and young children. The surest way to protect against lead in water is to replace lead service lines.

• The contractor will need access to your home and the location of your water meter.
• Your property’s lead service line will be replaced with a copper water service line.
• The replacement should take about three hours to complete.
• While work is being performed, your property will not have access to water.
• A portion of your lawn/front yard will be disturbed during the process—restoration will be provided at no cost to you.

• 1,588 lead service water lines have been replaced with either a private, public, or full replacement. The city of Ferndale is averaging 529 replacements per year.
• 585 water service lines have been identified as copper all the way from the water main, which is found in the street, to the water meter inside the home. The city of Ferndale is confirming 195 full copper water service lines per year.
• In total, there are 10,125 water service lines in the city of Ferndale. Of those, 2,173 homes have had their service lines verified and completed. This accounts for 21.46% of water service lines being completed over the past three years.

• The State of Michigan mandates that all water service lines must be verified or replaced by 2041. Ferndale is not only on track to meet that goal, but is on track to finish early and complete all verifications and replacements by 2036.

1. See the Lead Service Line Replacement book.
2. Visit the City's Lead and Your Drinking Water information page.

For questions, please contact Project Manager Jeffrey Weeks at jweeks@ferndalemi.gov or 248-546-2525 x 622.