The primary cause of lead entering drinking water in homes comes from corrosion of household plumbing materials. Water does not become contaminated with lead at the water treatment plant.
Your tax dollars contribute to funding the replacement of the portion located on the public side. However, the maintenance and repair of the service line beyond the meter pit or b-box have always been the responsibility of the homeowner. Therefore, the property owner is responsible for covering the cost of replacement on the private side.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), homes built before 1986 are more likely to have plumbing materials that can contaminate household drinking water with lead. While not applicable in all cases, it is generally known that homes constructed prior to 1960 were built with all lead pipes, homes constructed between 1960 and 1986 were built with a combination of copper, lead, and lead solder and homes constructed after 1986 used all copper materials. From 1986 to 2014, plumbing fixtures (e.g. faucets, shower heads) could contain up to 8% lead and be categorized as “Lead free." Current standards for “Lead free” fixtures allow no more than 0.25% of lead content
Water service lines are the pipes that carry water from the City water main into homes and buildings. The City owns the service line from the water main in the street to the parkway valve whereas property owners own the service line from the parkway valve to the meter inside the home.
A visual inspection of the service pipe can also be done with the methods shown below.
The American Water Works Association (AWWA) recommends post-construction water testing following full and private-side lead service pipe replacements to determine if appreciable lead is still present in the drinking water. Testing is a sure way to determine if the lead is still present inside of home plumbing. Testing generally costs between $20 and $100 and can be done at a laboratory.
Consider testing your water for lead. Below are laboratories that have been certified by the Illinois EPA to test for lead. These are just a few labs that are based in Illinois. For a complete and updated list of laboratories, please visit the EPA’s website at http://www.epa.illinois.gov/topics/drinking-water/private-well-users/accredited-labs/index Laboratories will send you the bottles for sample collection. Please note that we are not affiliated with the laboratories and they will charge you a fee. If test results indicate a lead level above 15 ug/L (acceptable level), bottled water should be used by pregnant women, breastfeeding women, young children, and formula-fed infants.
Utility Services Corporation 10525 US HWY 30 Building 12 Wanatah, IN 46390 (219) 759-0193
First Environmental Laboratories, Inc. 1600 Shore Rd. Suite D Naperville, IL 60563 (630) 778-1200
PDC Laboratories, Inc. 2231 W. Altorfer Drive Peoria, IL 61615 (309) 692-9688
Metiri Group- Suburban Labs 1950 S. Batavia Ave. Ste 150 Geneva, IL 60134 https://drinkingwaterlabs.com/products/lead
Exposure to lead in drinking water can cause serious health effects in all age groups. The most common exposure to lead is swallowing or breathing in lead paint chips and dust. However, lead in drinking water can also be a source of lead exposure.