Reducing Lead in Drinking Water

PMI’s Safe, Responsible Approach

Plumbing Manufacturers International member companies develop, test and market drinking water faucets and devices that meet the NSF/ANSI/CAN 61: Q ≤ 1 standard, which requires that all certified drinking water devices leach no more than 1 microgram (mcg) of lead during product testing. One mcg is equal to one-millionth of a gram. By comparison, one grain of salt is 60 times larger than 1 mcg.

Meeting this standard for drinking water devices is one of many ways PMI and its members deliver plumbing and sanitation products that protect the public’s health. Through its Rethink Water initiative, PMI advocates for the removal and replacement of lead service lines, which are main cause of lead in water, and for the rigorous testing of public water systems for lead.

PMI member companies have made significant investments to develop and manufacture products that comply both with NSF/ANSI/CAN 61: Q ≤ 1 requirements and federal lead-in-plumbing laws and regulations.

Where lead comes from and what can be done about it

Reducing lead in drinking water is critical to ensure the safety of our communities and children. This website content explains how lead enters the water system and what can be done to reduce lead levels at your home, school or business.

PMI and its members advocated for the passage of the bipartisan Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act. This law limits the amount of lead that can be used across the wetted surfaces of plumbing pipes, fittings and fixtures to a weighted average of 0.25% lead or less. Plumbing manufacturers have reduced the amount of lead in their products through the use of materials such as brass alloys and other metals, ceramics and plastics. In addition, PMI’s members had significant input into the development of the NSF/ANSI/CAN 61: Q ≤ 1 standard.

Where does the lead come from?

The use of lead in water pipes goes back thousands of years; lead was chosen by ancient civilizations for piping because of its ability to resist pinhole leaks while being soft enough to form into shapes that deliver water efficiently.

Many municipal water systems and the homes and other buildings they serve have been around for a long time, too—long before the dangers of lead were identified. For example, the average age of a school in 2017 was 44 years, according to the “10 Policies to Prevent and Respond to Childhood Lead Exposure” Health Impact Project report from the Pew Charitable Trust and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. As a result, lead may still be present in the service lines connecting the water main to your home or school, in the solder used to connect pipes, and in older brass faucets and valves located in kitchens and bathrooms. The report’s top recommendation includes replacing lead service lines that provide drinking water to homes and “other places children frequent.”

A study by the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “Contribution of Service Line and Plumbing Fixtures to Lead and Copper Rule Compliance Issues," concluded that 50% to 75% of the amount of lead measured at the tap originated from lead in service lines, 20% to 35% from on-premise piping, and only 1% to 3% from faucets and immediate connective piping. Because stricter lead standards for faucets and other drinking water devices have been implemented since this study was published, the percentage coming from these devices is now likely lower.

How can lead enter the water system?

Lead from service lines and other materials can corrode and “leach” into the water. To minimize this corrosion and leaching, water utilities treat the water; this carefully controlled water chemistry is designed to protect the thin layers of biofilm and scale deposits lining water pipes. Barring other factors contributing to corrosion, these layers separate the water from the metal and keep the water safe to drink.

How can you assess the risk of lead in water?

1. Check with your water utility. The first step is to talk with your local water utility. Water utilities generally issue water quality reports that assess the average amount of lead and other contaminants found in water before it leaves the water treatment plant. Your local water utility also can tell you if there are lead service lines running from the water main to a home or school property.
2. Check records or ask a plumber. A plumber or school maintenance staff—or home or school records—can disclose if your home or school has underground lead service lines or if pipes have lead solder. Any lead in your water is mostly likely coming from lead service lines and solder. In addition, older faucets and valves may have higher lead content than what is now allowable by the NSF/ANSI/CAN 61: Q ≤ 1 standard.
3. It’s important to understand that the risk of lead is determined by the amount of this contaminant in the water, not in the pipes or plumbing materials. It’s possible to have relatively low levels of lead in your water despite having lead in your service lines and other plumbing materials. Today, the amount of lead in water depends on factors relating to the broader water system and conditions impacting it.
4. Test the water for lead. If you still do not have a clear picture of your risks after checking with your water utility or plumber, you can use a state-certified drinking water laboratory or a lab approved by the EPA to test water samples for lead.

What can be done to reduce lead in water?

How to best reduce lead in water depends upon what is causing lead to enter the water. After conducting due diligence to find the root of the problem, here are some actions you can take:

1. Install filters. Many filtration systems certified to reduce lead can be purchased. Look for NSF/ANSI Standard 53 on the package. Many of these systems are meant to filter only a few gallons of water at a time, and can be used for drinking purposes in kitchens, classrooms, break rooms, and refrigerators. Some of the newly marketed filters also reduce the level of other contaminants including PFAS.
2. Replace pipes with lead solder and encourage your community to replace lead service lines. While this option would likely reduce lead the most, it is quite expensive. Having a plumber examine and replace pipes would be costly. As for service lines, the EPA in 2023 estimated a replacement cost of $4,700 per line serving a building.
   
   Replacement of all lines is occurring in some communities. Improvements to the Lead and Copper Rule, released by the EPA on Oct. 8, 2024, require replacement of all lead service lines managed by a water system within 10 years after the compliance date of Nov. 1, 2027. The EPA’s Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund provides money in some states for projects of this nature. Ask your water utility if local assistance programs are available, as well.
   
   The Lead and Copper Rule also requires expanded communication within communities about the risk of lead in drinking water, the location of lead pipes, and plans to replace them, as well as for drinking water to be more rigorously tested to identify areas where lead-in-water content is higher than the action level of 0.010 mg/L.
3. Replace older brass faucets and valves located in kitchens and bathrooms, as well as older drinking fountains. They should be replaced with new faucets and valves certified to the NSF/ANSI/CAN 61: Q ≤ 1 standard. However, while prudent, replacing these fixtures and fittings without replacing lead service pipes and removing lead solder may only reduce lead levels slightly, as most lead originates from lead service lines and solder.

Where can I find new products meeting lead-free requirements?

Purchase plumbing products certified as lead-free according to industry standards NSF 61/ANSI/CAN 61: Q ≤ 1 and NSF 372. NSF 61/ANSI/CAN 61: Q ≤ 1 evaluates all potential contaminants, including lead, from plumbing products that are a part of a drinking water system. NSF 372 evaluates plumbing products for a weighted average lead content of equal to or less than 0.25%, per the Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act.

Virtually all new products manufactured by reputable companies meet these requirements. For more detailed advice on what to look for on labeling and packaging, see this EPA document, “How to Identify Lead Free Certification Marks for Drinking Water System & Plumbing Products.”

What easy steps reduce exposure to lead in water?

• As a routine practice, flush faucets for 30 to 60 seconds first thing in the morning, again at the end of the day, or anytime the water hasn’t run for six hours or more. Running the water gives it less time to come into contact with any lead that may be in the plumbing system. Using water for a shower, laundry or dishwashing accomplishes this flushing, as well.
• Use only cold water for drinking, cooking and preparing baby formula.
• Do not use water from bathtub fixtures, showerheads, industrial faucets, or hose bibs for drinking or cooking.
• Every six months to a year, remove and clean or replace aerators in faucets used for drinking or cooking water.

Reference material

This “Do you have lead pipes in your home?” interactive tool was developed by National Public Radio.

This Michigan Public Radio story, “Do you have lead in your pipes and faucets?”, offers additional advice on how to reduce the risk of lead in water.

The AWWA “Get the Lead Out Video” provides detail on lead in water in an interesting and visual way.