Water Service Lines

Step-by-Step Guide with Images

Exposure to lead in drinking water can cause serious health effects in all age groups. Infants and children can have decreases in IQ and attention span. Lead exposure can lead to new learning and behavior problems or worsen existing learning and behavioral problems. The children of women who are exposed to lead before or during pregnancy can have increased risk of these negative health effects. Adults can have increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and kidney, or nervous system problems.

If you do have a lead service line, here are a few things you can do to help minimize the amount of lead in your water:

• Run the cold water to flush out lead. Let the water run from the tap before using it for drinking or cooking any time the water in the faucet has gone unused for more than six hours. The longer the water resides in plumbing, the more lead it may contain. Flushing the tap means running the cold-water faucet. Let the water run from the cold-water tap based on the length of the lead service line and the plumbing configuration in your home. In other words, the larger the home or building and the greater the distance to the water main (in the street), the more water it will take to flush properly. While toilet flushing or showering flushes water through a portion of the plumbing system, you still need to flush water in each faucet before using it for drinking or cooking. Flushing tap water is a simple and inexpensive measure you can take to protect your health. It usually uses less than one gallon of water.
• Use cold, flushed water for cooking and preparing baby formula. Because lead from lead-containing plumbing materials and pipes can dissolve into hot water more easily than cold water. Do not drink, cook, or prepare beverages including baby formula using hot water from the tap. With a lead service line, it is recommended that bottled or filtered water be used for drinking and preparing baby formula. If you need hot water, draw water from the cold tap and then heat it.
• Do not boil water to remove lead. Boiling water will not reduce lead; however, it is still safe to wash dishes and do laundry. Lead will not soak into dishware or most clothes.
• Use alternative sources or treatment of water. You may want to consider purchasing bottled water or a water filter. Read the filter package to be sure the filter is approved to reduce lead.
• Remove and clean aerators/screens on plumbing fixtures. Over time, particles and sediment can collect in the aerator screen. Regularly remove and clean aerator screens located at the tip of faucets and remove any particles.

US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): 

• Basic Information About Lead in Drinking Water
• Protect Your Tap: A Quick Check for Lead - Guide
• Protect Your Tap: A Quick Check for Lead - Protect Your Tap Basics
• Consumer Tool for Identifying Point-of-Use and Pitcher Filters Certified to Reduce Lead in Drinking Water