privatewelldata / Guides / Lead
What to do if lead is high
In a well, lead usually comes from the plumbing, not the groundwater.
- Why it matters
- Leaches from lead and galvanized plumbing, especially when water is corrosive (all dug wells are at high risk). Linked to reduced intelligence and behavioural effects in children. [Health Canada]
- US limit
- Action level 0.015 mg/L; goal zero. [US EPA]
- Canada limit
- 0.005 mg/L, as low as reasonably achievable. [Health Canada]
1. Right away
- Drink and mix baby formula with water from a different source. Boiling will not get rid of lead. [CDC]
2. Find the source
- Lead comes from lead and galvanized steel plumbing, especially when water is corrosive. Shallow dug wells are especially likely to have corrosive water, so ask for a pH test too. [Health Canada],[US EPA]
3. Treatment
- Certified options for lead: filters (NSF/ANSI 53), reverse osmosis (NSF/ANSI 58) and distillation (NSF/ANSI 62). [Health Canada]
- Choose a treatment system certified to the NSF/ANSI standard for your specific contaminant, then have an accredited lab test the water going into and coming out of it to confirm it works. [Health Canada]
Who to call
- Who to call: in the US, contact your county or state health or environment agency (EPA lists them by state). In Canada, contact your local public health office or the provincial drinking-water authority. [US EPA],[CDC],[Health Canada]
Next
Certified labs · What should I test for? · Test costs · Salesperson checklist
Sources
- Health Canada – Test your well waterchecked 2026-10-18
- US EPA – National Primary Drinking Water Regulationschecked 2026-10-18
- Health Canada – Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality, summary tablechecked 2026-10-18
- CDC – Guidelines for treating well waterchecked 2026-10-18
- US EPA – Protect your home’s waterchecked 2026-10-18
- Health Canada – Treat your well waterchecked 2026-10-18
- US EPA – Private well programs in your statechecked 2026-10-18
- CDC – Guidelines for testing well waterchecked 2026-10-18
General information, not medical advice.