Published April 6, 2026 · Updated monthly
Lead in Drinking Water: What You Need to Know
There is no safe level of lead in drinking water. The EPA sets an action level of 15 ppb, but the maximum contaminant level goal (MCLG) is zero. An estimated 9.2 million lead service lines remain in use across the United States. The EPA's Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) require utilities to inventory and replace all lead pipes within 10 years.
Why Lead in Water Is Dangerous
Lead is a neurotoxin with no known safe exposure level. Even low levels of lead exposure cause irreversible harm, especially in children. The CDC has eliminated the concept of a "safe" blood lead level — any detectable lead is a concern.
Health Effects by Population
| Population | Health Effects |
|---|---|
| Children | Brain development damage, lower IQ, learning disabilities, behavioral problems, hearing loss, slowed growth. Effects are permanent and irreversible. |
| Pregnant women | Lead crosses the placenta. Associated with premature birth, low birth weight, and miscarriage. Lead stored in bones can be released during pregnancy. |
| Adults | Kidney damage, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, decreased fertility, neurological effects. Risk increases with duration of exposure. |
How Lead Gets Into Drinking Water
Lead rarely comes from the water source itself. Instead, it leaches from plumbing materials between the water main and your faucet:
- Lead service lines — Pipes connecting the water main to your home. An estimated 9.2 million remain in use, primarily in homes built before 1986. These are the largest source of lead in drinking water.
- Lead solder — Used to join copper pipes until it was banned in 1986. Homes built between 1950-1986 are most at risk. Lead solder can leach lead for decades.
- Brass fixtures and faucets — Older brass faucets, valves, and fittings can contain up to 8% lead. The "lead-free" standard (2014) still allows 0.25% lead content.
- Galvanized iron pipes — These can accumulate lead from upstream lead service lines, creating a secondary source even after lead pipes are replaced.
- Water chemistry — Corrosive water (low pH, low mineral content) dissolves more lead from pipes. This is what caused the Flint, Michigan crisis — a change in water source increased corrosivity.
EPA Regulation: The Lead and Copper Rule
| Regulation | Level | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Action Level | 15 ppb | If more than 10% of tap samples exceed this, the utility must act (corrosion control, public education, service line replacement) |
| Trigger Level (LCRI) | 10 ppb | New threshold added in 2024 requiring utilities to implement additional corrosion control studies |
| MCLG (Goal) | 0 ppb | The health-based goal is zero — any lead exposure poses risk |
Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) — 2024
The EPA finalized major updates to the Lead and Copper Rule in 2024:
- Mandatory lead service line replacement — All lead service lines must be replaced within 10 years (by ~2037)
- Service line inventories — Every utility must identify and publish the material of every service line by October 2027
- Lower trigger level — 10 ppb trigger requires corrosion control studies (down from 15 ppb)
- No partial replacements — Utilities can no longer replace only their portion of a lead service line
- Estimated cost — $20-30 billion nationwide for full replacement
How to Test for Lead in Your Water
- Request your Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) — Your utility is required to send this annually. It includes lead testing results for your system. Available at epa.gov/ccr.
- Get a home water test — Even if your system passes, your home's plumbing may contribute lead. Certified labs charge $20-50 for a lead test. Find a certified lab at epa.gov/dwlabcert.
- Check your service line material — Use a magnet (lead is not magnetic) and the scratch test (lead is soft and silver-colored underneath). Your utility's service line inventory (required by 2027) will also tell you.
- First-draw vs. flushed sample — Test water that has been sitting in your pipes overnight (first draw) and after running for 2 minutes (flushed). High first-draw, low flushed results indicate your home's plumbing is the source.
How to Remove Lead From Drinking Water
These filtration methods are proven effective against lead:
- Reverse osmosis (RO) systems — Remove 95-99% of lead. Point-of-use systems cost $200-500 and install under the sink. The gold standard for lead removal.
- NSF 53-certified carbon block filters — Specifically certified for lead reduction. Pitcher-style filters like ZeroWater and some Brita models with NSF 53 certification can reduce lead. Check the specific model's certification.
- KDF (Kinetic Degradation Fluxion) filters — Use copper-zinc alloy media to electrochemically reduce lead. Often combined with carbon in whole-house systems.
- Distillation — Effective but slow and energy-intensive. Removes virtually all lead.
Immediate Steps (Before You Filter)
- Run cold water for 30-60 seconds before drinking or cooking, especially in the morning or after water has sat in pipes for hours
- Never use hot tap water for drinking, cooking, or making baby formula — hot water dissolves more lead from pipes
- Clean aerators regularly — Lead particles accumulate in faucet aerator screens
- Use cold water for cooking — If you need hot water, heat cold tap water on the stove or in a kettle
Frequently Asked Questions
There is no safe level of lead in drinking water. The EPA's Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG) for lead is zero. The action level of 15 ppb is a regulatory trigger for utilities to take action — it is not a safe level. Any detectable lead should be minimized.
No. Boiling water does NOT remove lead. In fact, boiling can concentrate lead by evaporating water while the lead remains. You need a physical filter (reverse osmosis, NSF 53-certified carbon block, or distillation) to remove lead from water.
Some Brita models do — but only those specifically certified to NSF Standard 53 for lead reduction. Standard Brita pitcher filters are NOT certified for lead removal. Check the specific model's NSF certification. ZeroWater pitchers are NSF 53-certified for lead.
Check your utility's service line inventory (required to be published by October 2027 under the LCRI). You can also do a physical check: find where your water line enters your home (usually the basement), and use a magnet and scratch test. Lead pipes are not magnetic and show a shiny silver color when scratched.
Primarily, yes. Lead service lines were installed mainly before 1950. Lead solder was used until 1986. Brass fixtures could contain lead until 2014. However, even newer homes can have trace lead from brass components. The age of your home is the strongest predictor of lead risk.
In 2014, Flint switched its water source from treated Lake Huron water to the Flint River without proper corrosion control. The more corrosive river water dissolved lead from the city's aging lead pipes, causing lead levels to spike to 13,000+ ppb in some homes (vs. the 15 ppb action level). The crisis exposed 100,000+ residents to elevated lead levels.