Treated water that flows from the Western Virginia Water Authority through distribution pipes is tested and non-detect for lead.  

However, lead can enter drinking water when the water flows through plumbing materials in water service lines or internal plumbing.  If these pipes contain lead,  the water can pull the lead from the pipes into the water, especially where the water has high acidity or low mineral content.

Lead pipes and plumbing with lead solder was possibly used in older homes built before 1988.  Brass or chrome-plated brass faucets that contained some lead could have been purchased up until 1997.

Sources of Lead in drinking water

Fuentes de plomo en el agua potable (Español)

Is there a safe level of lead in drinking water?

The Safe Drinking Water Act requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to determine the level of contaminants in drinking water at which no adverse health effects are likely to occur with an adequate margin of safety. These non-enforceable health goals, based solely on possible health risks, are called maximum contaminant level goals (MCLGs). EPA has set the maximum contaminant level goal for lead in drinking water at zero because lead is a toxic metal that can be harmful to human health even at low exposure levels. Lead is persistent, and it can bioaccumulate in the body over time.

Young children, infants, and fetuses are particularly vulnerable to lead because the physical and behavioral effects of lead occur at lower exposure levels in children than in adults.

It is important to recognize all the ways a child can be exposed to lead. Children are exposed to lead in paint, dust, soil, air, and food, as well as drinking water.

Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800.426.4791) or http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.

Yes. Bathing and showering should be safe for you and your children, even if the water contains lead over EPA’s action level. Human skin does not absorb lead in water.

This information applies to most situations and to a large majority of the population, but individual circumstances may vary.  Please consult your medical provider for individual questions.

EPA's Drinking Water Regulations for Lead

In 1974, Congress passed the Safe Drinking Water Act. This law requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to determine the level of contaminants in drinking water at which no adverse health effects are likely to occur with an adequate margin of safety. These non-enforceable health goals, based solely on possible health risks are called maximum contaminant level goals (MCLGs). The MCLG for lead is zero. EPA has set this level based on the best available science which shows there is no safe level of exposure to lead.

For most contaminants, EPA sets an enforceable regulation called a Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) based on the MCLG. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as possible, considering cost, benefits and the ability of public water systems to detect and remove contaminants using suitable treatment technologies.

The EPA MCLG for lead in drinking water is 0 part per billion (ppb).  The highest level allowed (EPA's MCL) or action level for lead is 15 ppb.  Drinking water that is tested in the Western Virginia Water Authority's public distribution system is non-detect for lead.  Water from a random sample of internal plumbing pipes in customer's homes in our service area is also tested for lead. In the Roanoke service area, no samples exceeded the action level of 15 ppb, and the 90th percentile of all sampled internal plumbing was 1.51 ppb.  For complete testing results from all of the Water Authority sources, please see our annual water quality report.

Homes may have internal plumbing materials containing lead. Since you cannot see, taste, or smell lead dissolved in water, testing is the only sure way of telling whether there are harmful quantities of lead in your drinking water.

The Western Virginia Water Authority is inspecting all public and private side water service lines at the meter box.  To date, no lead service lines have been found by the Western Virginia Water Authority.  Customers can view our GIS map to see data already collected about water service line materials connected to the water meter.  Customers are also encouraged to inspect and report the pipe material found in the water service line that enters the home.  Information is available below and on our Pipe Material page.

Video tutorials on how to identify service line connection & material