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1. How can I tell if my water service is lead?

Lead service lines are generally a dull gray color and are very soft. The service line typically enters your residence near your water meter. Lead service lines can be easily identified by carefully scratching them with a key or coin. If the pipe is made of lead, the area you’ve scratched will turn a bright silver color.

A certified plumber can tell you for sure if you have a lead service line, check for lead solders in your internal pipes and look for fixtures containing lead. You may also check the service line material inventory listing published by the Water & Electric Department. In accordance with 415 ILCS 5/17.12, the utility is required to publish an inventory of water service materials on the distribution system which is updated on a yearly basis. Address-level information on water services may be found here.

2. What steps can I take to protect my family from lead in tap water?

• The longer water has been sitting in your home’s pipes, the more lead it may contain. Running cold water from the faucets you use for drinking can improve water quality by drawing fresh water in the home, particularly after long periods of time when water has not been used. To conserve water, other household water usage activities such as showering, washing clothes, flushing toilets and running the dishwasher are effective methods for flushing pipes and allowing water from the distribution system to enter the household pipes.
• When purchasing replacement plumbing products, make sure the products have been tested and certified to "lead-free" standards.
• Consider installing a home treatment device. The effectiveness of these devices in reducing lead can vary greatly, so it is important that the model selected is certified to reduce lead according to NSF/ANSI-53. This certification should be listed on the product packaging.
• Consider replacement of your lead service lines and/or any plumbing fixtures that contain lead.

3. Why doesn’t the Village replace lead water services?

Private property water services are owned by the customer. The Village will make repairs to a leaking water service in the public right-of-way. However, replacement of the lead water service is the responsibility of the customer.

4. Do local construction activities affect the amount of lead in the water?

If work is performed on your individual lead water service, it could increase the amount of lead in your water service. During repair activities or partial replacement of the lead service line, the corrosion control coating is potentially disrupted at the site of the repair and/or some lead may be released into the water during repairs.

• Homeowners should flush internal plumbing to reduce the amount of lead-containing particles and sediment entering the home immediately following work on lead service lines.
• Do not consume tap water, open hot water faucets, or use an icemaker until after flushing is complete.
• Boiling water does not remove lead.
• Remove any sediment in faucet aerators.
• Running cold water from the faucets you use for drinking can improve water quality by drawing fresh water in the home, particularly after long periods of time when water has not been used.
• You may also consider installation of a home treatment device.

5. If I have concerns about lead in my tap water, can I have my water tested?

Yes. Unfortunately, this is not a test that the Village’s Water Plant can perform. If you want to have your water tested, you should contact a certified laboratory. One such facility in the area is PDC Labs at 309-683-1743. Tests run approximately $60 per sample.

6. Where can I get additional information?

Additional information is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 800-426-4791 or at the Environmental Protection Agency’s Ground Water and Drinking Water webpage.