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.

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.