In honor of Drinking Water Week, we're sharing information about lead in drinking water. One way you may be exposed to lead is through drinking water. Water is lead free when it leaves the treatment plant, but it can pick up lead as it moves through plumbing. Homes with older plumbing or with lead service lines are at a higher risk for lead in drinking water.

To safeguard your household from lead exposure, MDHHS recommends using a certified lead-reducing water filter if your home has:

• Lead or galvanized plumbing
• A lead service line from the street
• Pre-2014 faucets and fittings

Keep using the filter until you replace old plumbing. Follow these tips to maintain water quality:

• Keep water flowing by doing daily activities like laundry, dishes, and showers.
• Clean faucet aerators every six months to remove debris.
• Run water from room temperature to cold before drinking or cooking, and only use cold water for drinking or cooking. 

Concerned about lead in your drinking water?

To find out if lead may be a concern in your drinking water there are a few things you can do: 

• If you are on a public water supply, contact your local water supplier to find out if you may have a lead service line or investigate yourself using this Finding Lead Pipes tool created by NPR. You can also find your water supply's lead results via your Consumer Confidence Report or by visiting Michigan.gov/MiLeadSafe.
• Complete an at-home lead plumbing checklist
• The only conclusive way to know if there is lead in your drinking water is to test it. Your public water supplier may be able to do this, or you can contact a laboratory certified for lead analysis.