Tap Water

Lead Risk in Tap Water

Lead does not come from the treatment plant and water mains; it comes from lead service lines running between the water main in the street and the home, and from plumbing inside the home. There are still Winnetka homes that utilize lead water service lines.

Village Water Testing

The Village monitors the drinking water in the distribution system for lead. The standard for lead in tap water by which the Village must comply, set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is less than 15 micrograms per liter in at least 90% of samples taken. Test results from Winnetka samples are well below the action level. The test results for the water system are published in the summer edition of the Winnetka Report.  View the required Annual Consumer Water Report.

Prevention

Since 1994, the Village has also taken steps to prevent lead corrosion from occurring. The Water Plant treats the water with a corrosion control treatment that is safe for human health and helps build a protective coating around pipes. Drinking water also contains dissolved minerals that, over time, form a mineral scale or coating on the inside of pipes and fixtures. Once this coating forms, there is a protective barrier between any metal in the plumbing and the water.