Lead in Water: A Guide for Owners of Pre-1986 Homes
How to identify, test for, and address lead contamination in older homes.
Why 1986 is the cutoff
The Safe Drinking Water Act amendments of 1986 banned lead solder in plumbing. Before that date, 50/50 lead-tin solder was standard for joining copper pipes. Lead service lines (the pipe connecting your home to the water main) were also common before 1986, particularly in northeastern and midwestern cities. If your home was built before 1986, there is a reasonable probability that lead is leaching into your water.
How to test
First-draw sampling is critical: collect the first liter of water from your kitchen cold tap after 6+ hours of no use (first thing in the morning). This captures the water that has been sitting in contact with lead solder overnight, showing peak lead levels. Lab testing costs $20-50 per sample. See our testing guide.
Mitigation
NSF/ANSI 53 certified point-of-use filters at the kitchen tap remove 99%+ of lead. Running cold water for 30 seconds before use flushes lead-concentrated water. Never use hot tap water for cooking or drinking (hot water dissolves more lead). For homes with lead service lines, contact your utility about replacement programs. Full lead guide.