# Lead Pipe Replacement Nottingham | Free Reconnection Scheme | Notts Leak Detection > Lead pipe replacement in Nottingham: we replace the lead on your side so Severn Trent's scheme can reconnect you free. Pre-1970 homes. Open 7 days, 9am–7pm. URL: https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/lead-pipe-replacement/ 1. [Home](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/) 2. Lead Pipe Replacement # Lead Pipe Replacement in Nottingham, With the Free Reconnection [Notts Leak Detection](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/) carries out lead pipe replacement across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire: the lead supply pipe inside your boundary is replaced with new MDPE, so Severn Trent can reconnect you free under its Lead Replacement Scheme. Book lead pipe replacement 0115 839 0791 (+441158390791) [Request a quote](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/contact/) Lines open Monday–Sunday, 9am–7pm. ![Old lead water supply pipe and brass stop tap under a kitchen sink, scratched with a coin to show bright metal](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/images/old-lead-water-pipe-and-stop-tap-under-kitchen-sink-nottingham.webp) - Pre-1970 homes - Lead Replacement Scheme - Free new connection from Severn Trent - New MDPE supply pipe - Laid 750mm–1,350mm deep - Trench or trenchless moling Last updated: 28 September 2026 Homes built before 1970 may still have lead supply pipes, according to Severn Trent. Lead pipe replacement means swapping the lead pipe inside your boundary for new blue MDPE plastic. Once that is done, [Severn Trent‘s Lead Replacement Scheme](https://www.stwater.co.uk/my-supply/tap-water/my-water-pipes/lead-replacement-scheme/) can give you a free new connection and replace its own lead up to the boundary. ## How the scheme splits the work The work divides at the boundary, the same way responsibility does. Your side runs from the boundary stop tap to the stop tap inside the house, and you pay to replace it. Severn Trent‘s side runs from the water main to the boundary. It replaces its lead and connects your new pipe free, as long as your home meets the scheme’s criteria. The order matters. Your new pipe goes in first. Severn Trent says the new connection can take up to 16 weeks, and the trench shouldn’t be backfilled before any inspection it requires. We check the current criteria with you before digging, so nothing has to be reopened. ## Laying the new pipe The new MDPE pipe is laid between 750mm and 1,350mm below finished ground level, the depth set by the [Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1999/1148). Across a lawn it goes in an open trench. Under a drive, path or patio it can often be [moled](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/water-pipe-moling/), which means a pit at each end instead of a trench through the surface. Inside, the new pipe is connected to the internal stop tap with WRAS-approved fittings and pressure-tested before anything is covered. ## Shared lead supplies Severn Trent says Victorian terraces usually share one supply pipe, pre-1940s semis often do, and many council estates were built with one large pipe along the backs of the houses. Many of those shared supplies are also old enough to be lead. On a shared supply, Severn Trent requires the work to be done by a WaterSafe plumber, and every household served by the pipe needs to agree. [Shared supply pipe leaks](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/shared-supply-pipe-leak/) explains how joint responsibility works. ## Leaks on lead pipes A leak on a lead supply pipe is usually a sign of its age. A patch repair will stop today’s leak, but the rest of the pipe is just as old. If the leak has been found, the report sets out the cost of a repair against a full replacement under the scheme, so you can choose. [What lead pipe replacement costs](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/guide/lead-pipe-replacement-cost/) has the local figures. ## What's included - Check that the pipe is lead, and where it runs - Advice on the Severn Trent scheme before any work - New MDPE pipe from the boundary to your stop tap - Laid 750mm–1,350mm deep, by trench or mole - Trench left open for inspection if required - Connection to the internal stop tap with approved fittings - Pressure test of the new pipe - Paperwork for the free reconnection ## How the options compare Lead Pipe Replacement: options compared Compare Do it yourself Dig-and-hope operator Proper leak detection The lead on the water company's side Left in place Often forgotten Replaced free under the scheme Scheme rules Unknown Sometimes broken Followed, including inspection before backfill Drive or path Dug up Dug up Moled underneath where the ground allows Shared supply Not allowed without a WaterSafe plumber Not always checked Handled per the scheme rules ## Related resources - [Decision Guide How much does lead pipe replacement cost?](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/guide/lead-pipe-replacement-cost/) - [Learn Who is responsible for the water supply pipe?](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/guide/who-is-responsible-for-water-supply-pipe/) - [Decision Guide How much does moling a water pipe cost?](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/guide/moling-water-pipe-cost/) Water coming up now? 1. 1Turn off your internal stop tap. It is usually under the kitchen sink. 2. 2Water in the road or on the pavement? That is Severn Trent's: call 0800 783 4444 (+448007834444). 3. 3On your side of the boundary? Call us, 9am–7pm, 7 days. 0115 839 0791 (+441158390791) Standards and rules we work to - Severn Trent's Lead Replacement Scheme criteria - Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 - WRAS-approved pipe and fittings - WaterSafe plumber required on shared supplies Step by step ## What happens, from call to report 1. ### Confirm it is lead Scratch test and a look at the pipe where it enters the house, plus the route across the garden. 2. ### Line up the scheme Check your home meets Severn Trent's criteria so the free reconnection is in place. 3. ### Lay the new pipe New MDPE from the boundary to your stop tap, trenched or moled, left open for inspection if required. 4. ### Reconnect Severn Trent connects its side free and replaces its lead up to the boundary. The work ## How the work looks Illustrative photos of the methods and finish described on this page. They are not records of particular customers' jobs. - ![Old lead water pipe scratched with a coin to show bright silver metal, Nottingham](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/images/scratched-lead-pipe-showing-silver-metal-nottingham.webp) Old lead water pipe scratched with a coin to show bright silver metal - ![New blue supply pipe and stop tap fitted under a kitchen sink after lead pipe replacement, Nottingham](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/images/new-blue-pipe-and-stop-tap-under-kitchen-sink-nottingham.webp) New blue supply pipe and stop tap fitted under a kitchen sink after lead pipe replacement - ![Old lead supply pipe lying beside the trench for its blue plastic replacement, Nottingham](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/images/old-lead-pipe-beside-trench-for-new-supply-nottingham.webp) Old lead supply pipe lying beside the trench for its blue plastic replacement - ![New supply pipe in an open trench, left uncovered for inspection before backfilling, Nottingham](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/images/new-pipe-in-open-trench-awaiting-inspection-nottingham.webp) New supply pipe in an open trench, left uncovered for inspection before backfilling ![Old lead supply pipe and corroded stop tap under a kitchen sink, Nottingham](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/images/old-lead-supply-pipe-under-kitchen-sink-nottingham.webp) **Before:** Old lead supply pipe and corroded stop tap under a kitchen sink ![The same cupboard with a new blue supply pipe and stop tap, Nottingham](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/images/new-blue-supply-pipe-and-stop-tap-under-kitchen-sink-nottingham.webp) **After:** The same cupboard with a new blue supply pipe and stop tap Lead supply pipe? Replace your side and get the free reconnection. Lead pipe replacement anywhere in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. Lines open Monday–Sunday, 9am–7pm. 0115 839 0791 (+441158390791) [Request a quote](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/contact/) Questions ## Lead Pipe Replacement: common questions ### How do I know if my water pipe is lead? Look at the pipe where it comes up into the house, usually at the kitchen stop tap. Lead is dull grey, soft, and shows bright silver if you scratch it gently with a coin. It doesn't ring when tapped. Homes built before 1970 are the most likely to have it. ### How much does lead pipe replacement cost? Checkatrade lists lead pipe replacement in Nottinghamshire at £600–£1,500, depending on length, depth and surface. Severn Trent's side is replaced free under the scheme. See [what lead pipe replacement costs](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/guide/lead-pipe-replacement-cost/). ### How long does the free reconnection take? Up to 16 weeks, according to [Severn Trent's scheme page](https://www.stwater.co.uk/my-supply/tap-water/my-water-pipes/lead-replacement-scheme/). It is worth applying before the work starts. ### Our lead pipe is shared with next door. Can it still be replaced? Yes, but Severn Trent requires a WaterSafe plumber for work on a shared supply, and all the households it serves need to agree. It is often the moment to give each house its own pipe. ### Are you open 24 hours? No. Lines are open Monday to Sunday, 9am to 7pm. Out of hours, turn off your internal stop tap to stop the flow and call us in the morning. If water is coming up in the road or on the pavement, that is on Severn Trent's side: report it free on 0800 783 4444 (+448007834444). Related ## Related services - ### [Water Supply Pipe Replacement](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/water-supply-pipe-replacement/) A new MDPE supply pipe from the boundary to your stop tap when the old one is past repairing. View service - ### [Water Pipe Moling](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/water-pipe-moling/) Pull a new water pipe underground with a mole, leaving the drive, lawn and path in place. View service - ### [Shared Supply Pipe Leak](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/shared-supply-pipe-leak/) Leak on a pipe you share with neighbours: find which section is leaking and who is responsible for it. View service Get the lead out, and let the water company pay for its side. Call to book a survey, or send a quote request. Lines open Monday–Sunday, 9am–7pm. 0115 839 0791 (+441158390791) [Request a quote](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/contact/)