Lead is very dangerous to human health. For children, lead exposure can cause irreversible and life-long health effects, including affecting IQ, focus, and academic achievement. Drinking water is a potential source of lead in homes.

This guide will help you determine if you have a lead service line bringing water into your home. It uses pictures, step-by-step directions to identify lead service lines, provides tips to reduce lead exposure, information on testing your water, and resources to learn more.

Have your water tested to find out for certain if you have lead in your drinking water. Some states or utilities offer programs to pay for water testing and/or lead service line replacement for residents. Contact your state or local water company for more information.

Lead in homes can also come from paint, dust, soil, air and food. More information can be found in the resource section at the end of this guide.