Is There Lead in Your Tap Water?

It depends on your plumbing. The EPA says lead can enter drinking water when plumbing materials that contain lead corrode, especially where the water is highly acidic or low in minerals, and that the most common sources of lead in drinking water are lead pipes, faucets and fixtures. The EPA has set its health goal for lead in drinking water at zero, because lead is a toxic metal that can be harmful to human health even at low exposure levels.

The federal rule is tightening. EPA’s Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, published in October 2024, lower the lead action level, the threshold for taking action, from 15 to 10 micrograms per liter. Community water systems must comply no later than November 1, 2027, and starting on the compliance date must begin mandatory service line replacement programs that must be completed within 10 years for the vast majority of systems.

At home, the EPA says using a filter can reduce lead in drinking water, as long as the filter is certified to remove lead, the cartridge is replaced on time because an expired one can be less effective, and hot water is not run through it. It also says the longer water sits in pipes the more lead it may contain, and suggests flushing your pipes before drinking by running the tap, taking a shower, doing laundry or doing a load of dishes.

Sources checked September 15, 2026. Every point below links the page it came from.

The sources behind this answer

  • Government sourceThe EPA says lead can enter drinking water when plumbing materials that contain lead corrode, especially with highly acidic or low mineral water, and that the most common sources are lead pipes, faucets and fixtures. US EPA ↗
  • Government sourceThe EPA has set the maximum contaminant level goal, a non-enforceable health goal, for lead in drinking water at zero, because lead is a toxic metal that can be harmful to human health even at low exposure levels. US EPA ↗
  • Regulatory filingEPA’s Lead and Copper Rule Improvements lower the lead action level, the threshold for taking action, from 15 µg/L to 10 µg/L. US EPA fact sheet, October 2024 ↗
  • Regulatory filingCommunity water systems must comply with the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements no later than November 1, 2027, and from the compliance date must begin service line replacement programs completed within 10 years for the vast majority of systems. Federal Register, US EPA ↗
  • Government sourceThe EPA says using a filter certified to remove lead can reduce lead in drinking water, that an expired cartridge can be less effective, and not to run hot water through the filter. US EPA ↗
  • Government sourceThe EPA says the more time water has been sitting in pipes the more lead it may contain, and advises flushing home pipes before drinking by running the tap, showering, doing laundry or doing a load of dishes. US EPA ↗

Sources checked September 15, 2026. A brand statement is the company’s own claim, which we report but have not verified. Our grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests.

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