What's the law with lead?

[WaterTight]

Are you meant to replace it if you find it? I guess that can't be the law because why else would they sell lead-loks. But I thought I'd heard somewhere you had to replace it back to the source, or do you just have to recommend it?

 

[macplumb]

It's good practice to change it but not always practical. I take it you are talking about a incoming main to the stop tap? I think the law is no lead can be used on new installations for potable water. but if it is a exsisting run it can be left or cut back as close to the source as posible and changed for another material.
Not 100% about this but that's my understanding.

 

[moony]

not the law to replace it if you find - but if your taking it out you replace it with a legal replacement such as plastic or copper.

 

[WHPES]

No new lead can be used for potable water. Lead pipework serving potable water cannot be removed and then reinstated (not that you would want to anyway)

 

[freelander100]

not the law but remove as much as poss, refit in copper and pop of to the scrap yard, 90p a kilo , RESULT.