The rehabilitation of water supply distribution systems is generally triggered by complaints of discoloured water. The solution to such problems has predominantly rested with scraping and relining; a technique which has. historically, cost less than half the price of mains renewal. More recently, the introduction of MDPE together with accompanying novel mains and service laying techniques has reduced the cost of renewal and together with environmental pressures for reducing leakage, calls for greater consideration to renew in preference to reline. The paper considers these and other benefits and compares UK performance with that of certain continental companies but concludes that relining remains the most economic solution in most cases-for the time being.