Lead in drinking water
Comes from lead service lines, solder and old fixtures, not from the source water. It varies house to house, so the utility number is a 90th percentile of home tap samples.
Health: No safe level. EPA's health goal is zero. Harms brain development in children.
The action level drops to 10 ppb on 2027-11-01 under the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements.
Is your service line lead?
Most lead in tap water comes from a lead service line (the pipe from the street to your home) or old plumbing, not from the utility's source water. That's why a utility's low lead number can't tell you about your own tap.
- Look up your address. Since October 2024, every utility has had to publish an inventory of the service line material at each address, and many have an online lookup map. Search your utility's website for "service line inventory" or call the number on your bill.
- Check the pipe yourself. Find where the water line enters your home, usually near the meter or main shutoff. Gently scratch it with a key: lead is soft, dull gray and turns shiny silver, and a magnet won't stick. Copper looks like a penny, and a magnet sticks to galvanized steel. EPA's step-by-step check.
- Ask for free testing. Many utilities and some state programs test for lead free or at low cost. Ask before buying a kit, and use a lab-processed kit rather than test strips if you test yourself.
- Renting? Ask your landlord what the service line and plumbing are made of, then check the utility's inventory for your address. The federal lead disclosure rule for pre-1978 housing covers lead paint, not pipes, so you may need to ask.
- Replacement. Under EPA's 2024 lead rule, utilities must replace lead service lines, generally within 10 years from 2027. Ask whether yours has a replacement program or schedule for your street.
Until you know
- If water has sat in the pipes for hours, run the cold tap until it feels colder (30 seconds to a few minutes) before drinking.
- Use cold water for drinking, cooking and baby formula. Hot water picks up more lead, and boiling doesn't remove it.
- Clean faucet aerators every few months.
- A filter certified to NSF/ANSI 53 for lead reduction removes it at the tap.
Across the US
Those 414 systems serve about 1.1 million people.
From lead and copper 90th-percentile results reported to EPA.
Highest results
| Water system | People | Latest 90th pct. |
|---|---|---|
| Covered Bridge Water Works Corporation | 600 | 1,500 ppb |
| Muncy Borough Water Company | 2,900 | 890 ppb |
| Medilodge of Sterling Water System | 39 | 888 ppb |
| Elderberry MHP | 60 | 640 ppb |
| Dayton Public Water System | 141,407 | 470 ppb |
| Meadowbrook Med Care Facility Water System | 154 | 375 ppb |
| Northern Tier Childrens Home Water System | 45 | 357 ppb |
| Sanford Municipal Water System | 120 | 318 ppb |
| Preble Mobile Home Park Water System | 60 | 297 ppb |
| Teen Challenge Trng Ctr Water System | 300 | 256 ppb |
| Cane Brake Apartments Water System | 177 | 252 ppb |
| Pediatric Specialty Care Water System | 56 | 231 ppb |
| Red Rock Job Corps Center Water System | 425 | 223 ppb |
| Hillside Village Water System | 75 | 220 ppb |
| Alton Water Works | 1,800 | 210 ppb |
| Lands End Water System | 50 | 199 ppb |
| Deer Island Heights Water System | 60 | 166 ppb |
| Nemasket Health Care Center Water System | 90 | 159 ppb |
| Mid Lakes Development Water System | 490 | 152 ppb |
| Woods and Fields Communities West Water System | 185 | 135 ppb |
| Chicora Medical Center Water System | 150 | 128 ppb |
| Monadnock Tenants Water System | 200 | 126 ppb |
| Northridge at Camelback Water System | 330 | 123 ppb |
| Killington Gateway I Condo Association | 68 | 118 ppb |
| Wakefield Acres Water System | 30 | 116 ppb |
States with the most detections
- Texas: 2,314
- New York: 1,695
- Washington: 1,417
- Florida: 1,173
- California: 1,067
- Georgia: 919
- Missouri: 884
- Mississippi: 799
- Illinois: 793
- Michigan: 744
- Iowa: 724
- Colorado: 628
Sources
The limits, health goals and health effects on this page come from these EPA sources. The results come from EPA's monitoring data for each water system.
- EPA: Basic information about lead in drinking water
- EPA: Lead and Copper Rule Improvements
- EPA: National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (limits and health effects table)
- EPA ECHO: Safe Drinking Water Information System data
This page summarizes public regulatory information. It is not medical advice. How we source and check this site.
Questions
What is the safe level of Lead in drinking water?
There is no federal legal limit. Action level (90th percentile): 15 ppb. EPA's health goal (MCLG), the level with no known risk, is zero. The action level drops to 10 ppb on 2027-11-01 under the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements.
How do I remove Lead from tap water?
See the filter guidance on this page: look for a product certified for Lead specifically, and check the claim in NSF's certified product listings.
Source: U.S. EPA drinking water records and PFAS testing (UCMR 5). How we read the data.