How to Test Your Water for Lead

The only reliable way to know whether your tap water has lead in it is to test it, because you cannot see, taste or smell lead dissolved in water^{Source [1]}. Start by asking your water utility: many will test for lead or tell you whether your service line is made of lead. If they cannot, use a laboratory certified by your state for drinking water. EPA puts typical testing costs at $20 to $100^{Source [1]}. Collect a "first-draw" sample from a cold-water tap after the water has sat unused in the pipes for at least six hours, and follow the lab's instructions exactly.

Why lead testing matters

EPA has set the health goal for lead in drinking water at zero, because lead can be harmful even at low exposure levels and builds up in the body over time^{Source [1]}. Young children, infants and fetuses are the most vulnerable. In children, low levels of exposure have been linked to learning and behavior problems, lower IQ, slowed growth, hearing problems and anemia^{Source [1]}. EPA and CDC agree there is no known safe level of lead in a child's blood^{Source [1]}.

Drinking water is one source among several. EPA estimates it can make up 20 percent or more of a person's total lead exposure, and 40 to 60 percent for infants who mostly drink formula mixed with tap water^{Source [1]}.

Where lead in water comes from

Lead rarely comes from the water source itself. It usually enters water inside the plumbing, when pipes, solder or fixtures that contain lead corrode^{Source [1]}.

The main sources EPA lists are:

• Lead service lines. The pipe that connects a home to the water main. Where one exists, it is usually the biggest source. Lead pipes are more likely in older cities and in homes built before 1986^{Source [1]}.
• Lead solder on copper pipes.
• Brass or chrome-plated brass faucets and fittings^{Source [1]}.

How much lead ends up in the water depends on the water's chemistry, the temperature, how long the water sits in the pipes, and how worn the plumbing is^{Source [1]}. That is why lead levels can differ from one tap to another in the same house, and from one day to the next.

Step 1: Check what your utility already knows

If you are on public water, begin with your water supplier.

• Read your annual water quality report. Community water systems must send a Consumer Confidence Report each year by July 1^{Source [1]}. It shows the system's lead sampling results. See our guide to reading a water quality report.
• Ask about your service line. Under the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, water systems must keep a public inventory of service line materials and notify customers whose lines are lead, galvanized requiring replacement, or of unknown material^{Source [2]}.
• Ask whether they test homes. EPA suggests contacting your water utility to have your water tested and to learn about lead levels in your area^{Source [3]}.

A system-wide report is not a test of your tap. The utility samples a set of homes, so your own plumbing may give a different result.

If you have a private well, your local or state health department is the place to start^{Source [1]}.

Step 2: Choose how to test

EPA advises that a list of certified laboratories is available from your state or local drinking water authority^{Source [1]}. EPA also keeps a directory of state certification program contacts^{Source [4]}.

If you use a home kit, treat the result as a screen. A lab result reported in parts per billion (ppb) or micrograms per liter (µg/L) is the number to use for decisions. Our guide to choosing a water test compares the routes in more detail, and the water-testing comparison worksheet helps you record each option.

Step 3: Collect the sample correctly

Lead testing is sensitive to how the sample is taken. Always follow the lab's instructions first. Federal sampling rules for water systems give a good model^{Source [2]}:

1. Let the water sit. Do not use the tap for at least six hours before sampling. Overnight works for most households. The federal protocol requires a minimum of six hours of stagnation^{Source [2]}.
2. Use the cold-water tap you drink from most, usually the kitchen.
3. Do not flush first, and leave the aerator in place. The federal rules prohibit sampling instructions that tell people to remove or clean aerators or flush the tap before collection, because that hides lead^{Source [2]}.
4. Fill the bottle with the very first water out of the tap. This is the "first-draw" sample. Utility compliance samples must now be collected in wide-mouth bottles^{Source [2]}.
5. Label, seal and send it promptly, with the date and time.

If you know or suspect a lead service line, ask the lab about a second sample. Under the new federal rules, homes with lead service lines are sampled at both the first liter and the fifth liter, and the higher result is used, because the fifth liter better represents water that sat in the service line^{Source [2]}.

Step 4: Read the result

Lab results for lead are usually shown in ppb or µg/L. These are the same unit.

Keep three facts in mind:

• The health goal is zero. EPA's maximum contaminant level goal for lead is zero^{Source [1]}.
• The action level is a trigger for utilities, not a safety line. The federal lead action level is 15 ppb today. Under the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements it is scheduled to drop to 10 ppb starting November 1, 2027^{Source [2]Source [5]}. The action level applies to the 90th percentile of a system's samples and tells the utility when it must act.
• A single test is a snapshot. Lead levels vary with water use, season and construction nearby. If you get a detectable result, retest and consider sampling more than one tap.

If your result shows any lead, write down the tap, the date, the hours of stagnation and the lab's reporting limit, so a later test can be compared fairly.

Step 5: What to do if lead is found

EPA lists steps people can take, separately or together, while they work on the source^{Source [1]}:

• Use a filter certified to reduce lead. Look for a filter certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 53 for lead reduction and Standard 42 for particulate reduction (Class I). EPA's consumer tool explains how to check the packaging and certification^{Source [6]}. Replace cartridges on schedule and do not run hot water through the filter^{Source [1]}. Our water filter checklist covers what to compare.
• Use only cold water for drinking, cooking and making baby formula. Boiling does not remove lead^{Source [1]}.
• Run the water before use after it has been sitting, for example by showering or running a load of dishes. Ask your utility how long to flush in your area^{Source [1]}.
• Clean the faucet aerator regularly, since lead particles can collect there^{Source [1]}. Do this as routine maintenance, not right before a test sample.
• Find out what the service line is made of. EPA's Protect Your Tap guide walks through a quick check, and a licensed plumber can help if the utility has no record^{Source [1]}.
• Talk to your child's doctor about a blood lead test if young children live in the home. CDC recommends public health action when a child's blood lead level is 3.5 µg/dL or higher^{Source [1]}.

Showering and bathing are considered safe in most situations, because skin does not absorb lead in water^{Source [1]}.

When to test

Test when:

• You move into an older home, especially one built before 1986.
• You learn your service line is lead, galvanized or unknown.
• There is plumbing work, a service line replacement or street construction nearby. EPA notes that construction can disturb a lead service line and release more lead^{Source [1]}.
• A baby or young child lives in the home, or someone is pregnant.
• Your utility reports a lead action level exceedance.

For renters, ask the landlord or building manager for any recent test results and the service line material. See the renter checklist for other questions to ask, and the water hub for the rest of your water checks.

Frequently asked questions

How do I test my water for lead?

Ask your water utility first, since many test for lead. Otherwise, use a state-certified drinking water laboratory. Collect the first water from a cold tap after it has sat unused for at least six hours, without flushing or removing the aerator.

How much does a lead water test cost?

EPA puts typical testing costs between $20 and $100. Ask your utility first, since it may offer testing.

Are home lead test strips accurate?

Treat them as a rough screen. For a number you can act on, use a certified laboratory that reports results in parts per billion.

What level of lead in water is safe?

EPA's health goal for lead is zero. The 15 ppb action level, dropping to 10 ppb in November 2027, tells utilities when they must act. It does not mark a safe level.

Does boiling water remove lead?

No. Boiling does not remove lead. Use cold water and a filter certified to reduce lead.

Is it safe to shower if my water has lead?

EPA says bathing and showering should be safe in most situations, because skin does not absorb lead in water.