I Received a Letter About Lead Pipes. Does That Mean I Have Lead in My Water?
Not necessarily. If you received a letter, it means that the Village’s records indicate your property has a lead water service line, a common building material before 1986. You can view the inventory on the village's webpage. This does not mean that your drinking water contains lead. The only way to confirm whether lead is present in your home’s water is through testing.
Water supplied by the City of Evanston and distributed through Lincolnwood’s water mains is lead-free. However, lead can sometimes enter drinking water if it passes through older plumbing that contains lead, particularly if the pipes corrode over time or are disturbed during construction or repairs. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), homes built before 1986 are more likely to have lead components in their plumbing systems.
The Village is actively working to reduce potential lead exposure through a long-term service line replacement plan that aligns with the infrastructure upgrades and complies with state requirements. For residents who wish to take action sooner, the Village also offers a voluntary cost-share rebate program to assist with the expense of replacing a lead service line. Residents are encouraged to apply.
If you are interested in testing your water, there are certified labs in the area that can analyze water samples for lead. The Village does not test on demand for lead, but does test IEPA-approved locations as part of the annual water quality testing. For more information, please visit the Village's website.
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