Lead & Drinking Water: What You Should Know

Exposure to lead from drinking water is not common, but as demonstrated in Flint, MI, it occasionally can have serious health consequences.

We're pleased to share a new resource on our website, "Lead and Drinking Water: What You Should Know," offering state- and city-specific information on can be done around the country to reduce lead exposure from drinking water.

Lead seldom occurs naturally in rivers, lakes and other water sources. The pipes that carry water from the water treatment plant to water mains under the street supplying homes also don't normally add lead to drinking water. If lead is found in drinking water, the most likely cause is corrosion of pipes, solders or fixtures in your home.

Click here for information and resources to reduce your likelihood of exposure to lead in drinking water, including:

• Fact sheets guiding homeowners and renters and condo owners through the process of determining if they are at risk for exposure to lead in drinking water. The fact sheets, available in both English and Spanish, also detail actions that people can take to reduce lead in their drinking water.

• Links to informative materials developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency

• A "Managing Lead in Drinking Water at Schools and Early Childhood Education Facilities" toolkit

• A helpful infographic outlines the steps to take to protect your water quality

"Lead in Drinking Water: What You Should Know” was commissioned by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and prepared by the Horsley Witten Group.