The federal government banned the use of leaded pipe and solder in new plumbing systems in 1986. If your property was built before 1986, your water service lateral and plumbing system may contain lead. You may call the Wauwatosa Water Utility at (414) 471-8480 to find out more information about your service line pipe material. 

 Please contact the City of Wauwatosa Health Department Referral Nurse Line at (414) 479-8939.

As a standard practice with our water main replacement projects the Wauwatosa Water Utility replaces old lead water service laterals with new HDPE plastic materials from the water main to the curb stop.

If you’re concerned about lead in your drinking water, you can take several steps to limit possible exposure.

• Flush your tap water. Flushing the tap is particularly important when the faucet has been unused for an extended period of time. It takes time for lead to leach into water, so the first water drawn from the tap in the morning or after a long period of non-use may contain higher levels of lead. Flushing clears standing water from your plumbing and home service line to ensure you are getting drinking water from the water main, where lead is rarely present. Let the cold water run from the tap until it is noticeably colder (this may take up to two minutes or more) before using it for cooking or drinking.

Remember, you must flush EACH drinking water faucet after long periods of non-use for this strategy to be effective.

CONSERVATION TIP: Use flushed water for non-potable purposes such as watering plants or washing dishes.

• Use only cold water for cooking or drinking. Lead leaches more easily into hot water than cold water.
• Boiling water DOES NOT remove lead.
• Remove faucet strainers and rinse them to remove any debris. This can be done periodically to remove accumulated debris as well.

Water filters used for reducing lead in drinking water must be certified for lead reduction in accordance with NSF/ANSI Standard 53 – Drinking Water Treatment Unit Standard for Health Effects.

Types of water filters.

• Pour-through pitcher/carafe: Water drips through a filter into a water pitcher using gravity.
• Faucet mount: Mounts on kitchen faucet. Uses diverter to direct water through a filter.
•  Direct plumbing to a separate tap or to a kitchen sink: Installs under a sink; filtered water is usually dispensed through a separate faucet directly to the kitchen sink.
• Refrigerator filter: Installed in your refrigerator and typically dispensed through the refrigerator door.

You can’t see, smell or taste lead in your water. Testing at the tap is the only way to measure the lead levels in your home or workplace. If you choose to have your tap water tested be sure to use a private laboratory properly certified by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Below are three examples of certified labs.

Suburban Laboratories
10520 N Baehr Rd. Suite J
Mequon, WI 53092
Phone: (920) 459-2500

Northern Lakes Services, Inc.
2420 N Grandview Blvd.
Waukesha, WI 53188
Phone: (262) 547-3406

State Lab of Hygiene
2601 Agriculture Drive
Madison, WI 53707
Phone: (800) 442-4618

Contact the following resources for more information about lead and water:

EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline: 1-800-426-4791

National Lead Information Center: 1-800-424-5323

American Water Works Association:

• www.awwa.org
• https://drinktap.org/Water-Info/Whats-in-My-Water/Lead-In-Water