District Headquarters

50 Elm St., Dedham, MA 02026

During Office Hours:

781-329-7090

After Hours Emergency:

781-326-1250

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Inspection Questions

You will receive a mailed letter from the district asking you to schedule an inspection appointment. 

No. You only need to schedule an inspection if you receive a mailed letter from the district. 

First, an initial letter will be mailed to approximately 1,200 customers in the specific area the consultant is working in. If you do not respond to the first letter, a second letter will be mailed out. A third and final letter will be mailed if a response is not made to the second letter. This process will be repeated for each area.

It will take approximately nine weeks until the consultant completes an area. If you haven’t received a letter yet, we have not forgotten about you, and it likely means we are not working in your geographical area yet.

If you do not schedule a mandatory inspection appointment, you will receive a knock on your door from Raybern Consulting asking to conduct an inspection to identify what type of material your water service line is made of.

Inspections are slated to begin in March 2024.

You can either schedule an appointment online or by phone.

To make an appointment by phone, please call Raybern Consulting in association with Baystate Winsupply toll-free at 1-866-983-8080, Monday through Friday between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Whether you choose to schedule online or by phone, you will be required to provide the Work Order # and Service # found on the top of the letter that was sent to your home/business. If you have not received a mailed letter, you will not be able to schedule an inspection appointment with Raybern Consulting!

Please call Raybern Consulting in association with Baystate Winsupply toll-free at 1-866-983-8080, Monday through Friday between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Inspection appointments will be offered Monday-Saturday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Your appointment will be at a set time.

Please call Raybern Consulting in association with Baystate Winsupply toll-free at 1-866-983-8080, Monday through Friday between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

A service technician will need to come into your house and locate your water service line that’s connected to the District’s water meter. If you have a meter pit, the technician will still need to come into the house to locate where your service line comes into the house.

Once the water meter or service line has been located, the technician will inspect what type of material your water service line is made of and ask the homeowner a few questions. In total, the inspection will take under a half-hour. 

You can still self-report by submitting an inspection survey online. Or ask a family member, friend, or relative to help you self-report. It is MANDATORY for the District to report EVERY service line connection in our water system to MassDEP to be in compliance with the LCRR.

Project Questions

The Water Service Line Inventory Project is a regulatory requirement of the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) newly revised Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR)

In 2021, the EPA announced revisions to its existing lead and copper rule, including the addition of several new components:

  • Creation of a public-facing water service line inventory that identifies both public and private service lines, including lead, copper, galvanized iron, plastic, or unknown service types
  • Creation of a replacement plan to eliminate all identified lead service lines
  • Offering expanded testing for schools and daycare facilities
  • The addition of new regulatory action level triggers


The Dedham-Westwood Water District is required to comply with the LCRR by October 2024.

The District will create a publicly accessible inventory map and a replacement plan. Both documents will be submitted to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP).

A water service line is an underground pipe that supplies water to your property.

All service lines are connected to the District’s water mains, which is how your service line is supplied water. 

Service line ownership is split between the District and the customer.

The District owns the portion of the service line from the water main to the curb stop (usually, the shut-off is located on the sidewalk or in your yard).

The customer owns their service line from the curb stop into their property. 

Please reference the graphic below for a visual explanation.

Image of a property that shows how a water service line is connected to a water main. Ownership is depicted, including, the system-owned portion (from the water main to the curb stop) and the customer-owned portion (from the curb stop and then into the home).

Graphic Courtesy: Environmental Protection Agency 

Please reference how to locate and identify your service line. This page includes step-by-step instructions, including a short video.

If your meter is located in a pit outside, please do not identify your service line from the pit. The district asks customers to locate where their service line enters their home through the foundation.  

All water service line information must be submitted by the homeowner on our website

Unfortunately, water service line information cannot be submitted via email or telephone.

It is possible that the District may have documented your property’s service line material from a recent appointment (meter change, water service line inspection, final water meter reading, etc.). 

Please look up your property on our service line inventory map to see if the District has identified your service line. 

I found out my service is lead or galvanized iron...

No. The District will only replace the District-owned portion of the service line.

As previously stated, service line ownership is split between the District and the customer.

The District owns the portion of the service line from the water main to the curb stop (usually, the shut-off is located on the sidewalk or in your yard).

The customer owns their service line from the curb stop into their property.

Please reference the graphic below for a visual explanation.

Image of a property that shows how a water service line is connected to a water main. Ownership is depicted, including, the system-owned portion (from the water main to the curb stop) and the customer-owned portion (from the curb stop and then into the home).

Graphic Courtesy: Environmental Protection Agency 

If your service is galvanized iron, then it is, or was at some point, connected to our water main with a 12-18 inch lead connection piece. It is possible that this lead connection piece has leached lead onto the interior of the galvanized iron service, which could allow lead to be present in your drinking water. However, the District has implemented treatment techniques to help minimize this risk from occurring.

The District recommends replacing lead service lines as the best course of action to eliminate risk. Reference additional tips to reduce your exposure to lead.

According to the EPA, lead can enter drinking water when plumbing materials that contain lead corrode, especially where the water has high acidity or low mineral content that corrodes pipes and fixtures.

Lead pipes, faucets, and fixtures are the most common lead sources in drinking water. In homes with lead pipes that connect the home to the water main, also known as lead services lines, these pipes are typically the most significant source of lead in the water.

Lead pipes are more likely found in older cities and homes built before 1986. Among homes without lead service lines, the most common problem is with brass or chrome-plated brass faucets and plumbing with lead solder.

Please reference information about the health effects of lead exposure from the:


If you have specific questions/concerns about how lead can affect your health, please contact your medical care provider.

Currently, testing is required to be conducted every three years.

View our most recent testing results from 2022. 

Further Questions

Please contact the District directly if you have additional questions.

781-329-7090

Email


Drive-through Payment Drop Box Closed During Construction

Effective Tuesday, April 30, the Dedham-Westwood Water District's drive-through payment box will be CLOSED while exterior building construction continues.

Staff will be available to take payments Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Other payment options are available by referencing more information below.

Thank you for your cooperation!

Drive-through Payment Drop Box Closed During Construction

Effective Tuesday, April 30, the Dedham-Westwood Water District's drive-through payment box will be CLOSED while exterior building construction continues.

Staff will be available to take payments Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Other payment options are available by referencing more information below.

Thank you for your cooperation!