Lead and Copper

Lead and copper enter drinking water primarily through plumbing materials. Exposure to lead and copper may cause health problems ranging from stomach distress to brain damage.

In 1991, EPA published a regulation to control lead and copper in drinking water. This regulation is known as the Lead and Copper Rule (also referred to as the LCR). The treatment technique for the rule requires systems to monitor drinking water at customer taps. If lead concentrations exceed an action level of 15 parts per billion or copper concentrations exceed an action level of 1.3 parts per million in more than 10% of customer taps sampled, the system must undertake a number of additional actions to control corrosion.

Learn more about how Lead can enter water through home plumbing. 

Learn more about the Lead and Copper Rule

Show All Answers

1. Aldehyde
2. Asbestos
3. Bromide/Bromate
4. Chlorate/Chlorite
5. Coal Ash
6. Disinfection Byproducts (DBP)
7. Endocrine Disrupting Compounds/ Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products
8. Fluoride
9. Giardia/ Cryptosporidium
10. Inorganic Contaminants (IOCs), Volatile Organic Contaminants, Synthetic Organic Contaminants
11. Lead and Copper
12. Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule Documents
13. Nitrate
14. Perchlorate
15. Radionuclides
16. Total Organic Carbon/Alkalinity