How to test your tap water for lead

You can't see, taste or smell lead in water. Testing is the only way to know what's coming out of your tap. Start with the free option.

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1. Ask your utility first

Many utilities offer free lead test kits to homes with lead, galvanized or unknown service lines. Call the number on your water bill or on your water system's page. Some state health departments also run free programs for homes with children.

2. Mail-in lab kits

A kit analyzed by a state-certified drinking water lab gives a real number in parts per billion. Expect roughly $30 to $150 depending on how many metals are tested. Your state drinking water program lists certified labs. Mail-in lab kits on Amazon.

3. At-home test strips

Strips are cheap and fast, but most only detect lead above about 15 ppb. A negative strip doesn't mean safe. Use them as a quick screen, not a final answer. Lead test strips.

How to take a sample that means something

1. Don't use the water for at least 6 hours, usually overnight.
2. Collect the very first cold water from the kitchen tap, without running it first ("first draw").
3. If the kit allows, take a second sample after running the water for a few minutes. If the second is higher, lead is likely coming from the service line rather than the faucet.

Reading the result

EPA's action level is 15 ppb today and drops to 10 ppb on November 1, 2027. Action levels are a trigger for utility action, not a safety line: EPA and CDC say there is no known safe level of lead exposure for children. Any detectable lead is a reason to filter and to find the source.

More: How to tell if your home has a lead service line · What "lead status unknown" means · Water filters that remove lead · Lead service line replacement: cost, who pays and deadlines · Does a Brita filter remove lead? · Is it safe to shower with lead pipes?