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Shortlist

Contaminant

Lead in drinking water

A neurotoxin from old pipes and solder. No level is considered safe, especially for children.

This page can’t tell you what’s in your tap water.
Only a test of water from your own tap can. Public-system results describe the system, not your home.
16 sources
01Check your water systemWater Check · system results, not your tap02Test your tapHow to get a reliable result03Treatment approachesWhat can reduce it at the tap
On this page · 10 sections
  1. 01Reference values
  2. 02Is it in my water?
  3. 03Where it comes from
  4. 04Testing
  5. 05Water filters
  6. 06Treatment
  7. 07Evidence
  8. 08Next steps
  9. 09Ask about lead
  10. 10References
Reference values

An action level, not a safe level.

Each value says what kind of reference it is, and they mean different things. A lower or missing number never means water is safe.

Action levelFederal · public water systems
15 ppb

When a public water system must act. It isn’t a safe line for your tap.

A final rule lowers it to 10 ppb from 1 November 2027.

Applies to
Samples across a public water system, not one home’s tap
Status
In force
Source
EPA action level · Lead & Copper Rule (0.015 mg/L) · 40 CFR §141.80
Health-based goal · MCLGFederal · not enforceable
0 ppb

The level below which no known health risk is expected. A goal, not a limit.

Applies to
Set alongside the rule as a public-health goal
Status
Published goal
Source
EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations — MCLG zero · 40 CFR §141.51
How they relate
Health-based goalNo known risk expected below itAction levelWhere utilities must act

Water between the two isn’t automatically safe. An action level tells a utility when to act. It isn’t a line below which your tap is safe. Positions are illustrative, not to scale.

Your stateNot held yetStates may set their own references. We don’t hold a state reference for lead yet.
Is it in my water?

Only a test of your own tap can tell.

Choose what you have. We’ll show what it can and can’t tell you.

If you haven’t tested
Nobody can tell without a measurement, including us.

Three things you can do, in this order.

Test water from your tapThis is the only way to know your level. Testing guidance ↓See what your system reportsSystem results aren’t a tap measurement. Open Water Check →On a private well?Public-system reports don’t cover wells. Open Well Water →
Where it comes from

Where it comes from

  1. Lead pipes and lead solder in household plumbing systems dissolve into water, especially when water sits idle in pipes.
  2. Brass plumbing components such as faucets and valves can dissolve lead into water, particularly during the first months of use.
  3. Lead packers above well screens in wells drilled before 1980, and some submersible pumps manufactured before 1995, may contain leaded components.
Why it matters
Lead can damage the brain, kidneys, and nervous system. In children, lead can slow development and cause learning, behavior, and hearing problems.
Babies, children under six years old, and pregnant women are at highest risk because their developing brains and organs are more easily injured and their bodies are not effective at eliminating harmful substances. · There is no safe level of lead exposure.
Testing

How to test your tap water for lead

You can’t see, taste, or smell lead in water, so the only way to know is to test. Have your water checked by a certified laboratory, and follow its sampling instructions closely. It’s also worth asking whether you need a “first-draw” sample, which is collected after the tap has sat unused for a while. And if your home was built before 1986, you should seriously consider testing since older plumbing can raise the risk.

  1. 01Use a certified labA state-certified lab, or a kit that sends samples to one.
  2. 02Follow the sampling stepsHow and when you collect the water changes the result.
  3. 03Check the reportIt should state units and the detection limit.
Certified labNot sponsored
Use a state-certified labYour state keeps a list of labs certified for drinking water.

Choosing a filter for lead

None qualify
No products currently qualify for a lead pick here.

Nothing in our database has a lead claim for an exact configuration we can verify.

Find a fit in FinderRead treatment approaches
Treatment

How to reduce lead in water

Function: ReduceRemoving lead requires adsorption, ion exchange, or membrane filtration to pull the metal from water.
Reverse osmosisReverse osmosis forces water through a semi-permeable membrane that physically removes a wide range of inorganic contaminants including lead.Before you chooseClaims apply to the exact model and configuration tested.
Activated carbonGranular activated carbon adsorbs lead and other contaminants onto its porous surface as water passes through the media.Before you chooseClaims apply to the exact model and configuration tested.
Ion exchangeCation exchange removes positively charged contaminants including lead by exchanging them for innocuous ions on the resin surface.Before you chooseClaims apply to the exact model and configuration tested.
Whole-house systems and point-of-use filters treat different water. A whole-house system treats water where it enters the home; a point-of-use filter treats the tap it’s installed on. Check which one a claim is for.
Evidence

What the evidence means

We keep evidence types apart. A result for one configuration never stands in for another, and we never average across types.

No product in our database holds a reduction record for lead yet.

How we read evidence →

Next steps

Take the next step

Match a system to your homeFinder asks about your home first. It suggests lead as a starting point, and nothing counts until you confirm it.
Ask about lead

Still have a question?

Answers come only from WaterDecoder’s reviewed sources and show citations. Ask can’t interpret your test result or choose a product. Don’t include personal details.

AI assistant

Ask about Lead

Answers draw on cited public-health sources and the filters certified to reduce Lead. Every source is linked, and if the sources don’t cover a question, the answer says so.

Questions to start with

Educational information from cited sources. Not medical or professional advice.

References

Where these facts come from

  1. 1Regulatory reference40 CFR §141.80EPA action level · Lead & Copper Rule (0.015 mg/L)
  2. 2Regulatory reference40 CFR §141.51EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations — MCLG zero
  3. 3Knowledge BaseLead in Well WaterMinnesota Department of Health
  4. 4Knowledge BaseOverview of Drinking Water Treatment TechnologiesUS EPA (SDWA program)
  5. 5Knowledge BaseGuidelines for Testing Well WaterCDC (Division of Drinking Water Safety)
  6. 6Knowledge BaseWhat To Know About Lead in Drinking WaterVermont Department of Health
  7. 7Knowledge BaseBasic Information about Lead in Drinking Water — consumer action sectionUS EPA
  8. 8Knowledge BaseFACT SHEET: EPA & The Bipartisan Infrastructure LawUS EPA
  9. 9Knowledge BaseElevated Blood Lead Levels in Children Associated With the Flint Drinking Water CrisisAJPH (Hanna-Attisha et al., 2016)
  10. 10Knowledge BaseHow to Identify Lead Free Certification MarksUS EPA
  11. 11Knowledge BaseNSF Certified Product Listings for Lead ReductionNSF International
  12. 12Knowledge BaseLead (Pb) Technical Fact SheetWater Quality Association (WQA)
  13. 13Knowledge BaseInformation About LeadCal Water (CA utility)
  14. 14Knowledge BaseLead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) — program hubUS EPA
  15. 15Knowledge BaseLead in drinking-water: Health risks, monitoring and corrective actions (2022)World Health Organization
  16. 16Knowledge BaseCDC Updates Blood Lead Reference ValueCDC

Written and maintained by WaterDecoder. A review date appears only once we have confirmed one.

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