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Lead in drinking water

Also called Pb.

Action level
15 ppb
Health goal
Zero

Values in parts per billion (ppb). Comes from pipes, often your own.

Where the rules stand

There is no MCL for lead. EPA uses a treatment technique with an action level, which is 15 ppb (0.015 mg/L) today. Under the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, published October 30, 2024, the action level drops to 10 ppb (0.010 mg/L) on November 1, 2027. The health goal (MCLG) is zero.

The scale every TapBuff report uses for this contaminant: the legal line at the middle, twice it at the right.

What EPA says about health

EPA set the health goal at zero because lead can harm health even at low exposure and builds up in the body over time. EPA lists learning and behavior problems and slowed growth in children, and higher blood pressure and reduced kidney function in adults.

Where it comes from

Lead usually gets into water from plumbing, not from the source. EPA names lead service lines, lead solder, and brass or chrome-plated brass faucets. These are more common in homes built before 1986.

What handles it

  • NSF/ANSI 53

    Claim to look for: Lead Reduction

    NSF listing wording. WQA lists it as "Lead." EPA suggests also looking for an NSF/ANSI 42 Class I particulate claim.

  • NSF/ANSI 58

    Claim to look for: Lead Reduction

    Reverse osmosis systems. WQA lists it as "Lead."

Filters with that claim on a certifier’s listing

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Sources

  1. National Primary Drinking Water Regulations, U.S. EPA. Checked Oct. 4, 2026.
  2. Basic Information about Lead in Drinking Water, U.S. EPA. Checked Oct. 4, 2026.
  3. National Primary Drinking Water Regulations for Lead and Copper: Improvements (LCRI) (final rule, October 30, 2024), Federal Register. Checked Oct. 4, 2026.
  4. Consumer Tool for Identifying Point-of-Use and Pitcher Filters Certified to Reduce Lead in Drinking Water (EPA/600/F-24/143, June 2024), U.S. EPA. Checked Oct. 4, 2026.
  5. Search for NSF Certified Drinking Water Treatment Units (standards and reduction claims lists), NSF. Checked Oct. 4, 2026.
  6. Contaminant Reduction Claims Guide, NSF. Checked Oct. 4, 2026.
  7. Find WQA Certified Products (Gold Seal listings by standard and claim), Water Quality Association. Checked Oct. 4, 2026.
  8. SDWA Dataset Download Summary (codes from SDWA_REF_CODE_VALUES.csv, 2026 Q2 extract), U.S. EPA ECHO. Checked Oct. 4, 2026.