Frequently Asked Questions

Lead is rarely found as a natural contaminant in drinking water and generally originates from lead-based plumbing materials. Lead can enter drinking water supplies when plumbing materials containing lead corrode over time. These materials include lead pipes, lead-based solder used to join copper pipe, and brass and chrome-plated brass faucets. Lead service lines are typically the most significant source of lead in drinking water. In the City of Homestead, these materials are more likely to be found in homes built before 1978, as the City prohibited lead in the construction of service lines in 1977.

Not necessarily. All lead service lines have the potential to leach, or leak, lead into drinking water, but our treatment facility carefully monitors the water chemistry in our distribution system to help reduce the potential of corrosion. Lead can occur in drinking water through leaching from lead-containing pipe, faucets, and solder sometimes found in the plumbing of older construction.