# Is There Lead in Philadelphia Tap Water?

> Does Philadelphia tap water have lead? How PWD treats its water, its lead test results, free testing on request, flushing, certified filters and your pipes.

URL: https://philadelphiafreedomrepipe.com/guide/lead-in-philadelphia-tap-water/

Learn

Where lead in drinking water comes from in Philadelphia, what the Water Department does about it, what its testing shows, the steps PWD and the EPA describe for your own tap, and how the pipes in and under your house fit in.

Last Updated: October 26, 2026

**Lead in Philadelphia tap water comes from the pipes and fixtures it passes through, mainly lead service lines, old solder, fittings and brass. PWD adds zinc orthophosphate to coat the inside of pipes, and its testing at homes with lead service lines found a 90th-percentile level of 2.0 parts per billion. Your tap depends on your pipes.**

That is why the question “does Philly tap water have lead” has two answers: one about the City’s water, and one about the plumbing in a particular house. [Philadelphia Freedom Repipe](https://philadelphiafreedomrepipe.com/) offers and manages [lead service line replacement](https://philadelphiafreedomrepipe.com/lead-service-line-replacement/) and interior repiping, so this guide stays with what the Philadelphia Water Department and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency say. It is not medical advice; for health questions, those agencies’ pages and your doctor are the sources.

Key takeaways

- Lead in tap water comes from plumbing: lead service lines, old solder, fittings, faucets and brass.
- PWD adds zinc orthophosphate, which forms a protective coating inside pipes, and has for more than 25 years.
- In PWD's testing of 106 homes with lead service lines, the 90th-percentile lead result was 2.0 ppb; one home was above the action level.
- PWD conducts free water quality tests for customers concerned about lead plumbing or water quality.
- Interim steps PWD and the EPA describe: flush cold water, use cold water for drinking and cooking, and use a filter certified for lead reduction.

## Where the lead comes from

Lead reaches the tap from metal the water touches on the way. PWD’s [lead information page](https://water.phila.gov/lead/) names the sources: lead service lines, the pipe from the main to the house, and lead hidden in older plumbing work, including solder, fittings, faucets and brass. Galvanized steel can carry lead too. PWD explains that, over decades, lead from a property’s plumbing can accumulate on the corroded walls of galvanized pipes and come loose later.

The longer water sits still in contact with those materials, the more chance it has to pick up lead. That is the logic behind flushing, covered below.

## What PWD does about it

PWD adds zinc orthophosphate to its treated water. In PWD’s words it “forms a protective coating inside pipes”, reducing how much metal the water can take up from the pipe wall, and PWD has used it for more than 25 years.

PWD checks how well that works by testing water at homes with lead service lines, as federal rules require. In its [2025 drinking water quality report](https://water.phila.gov/drops/2025-drinking-water-quality-report/), PWD reported:

| Measure, homes with lead service lines | Lead | Copper |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Homes tested | 106 | 106 |
| 90th-percentile result | 2.0 ppb | 0.210 ppm |
| Homes above the action level | 1 | 0 |
| Range of results | 0 to 21 ppb | Not given in PWD’s summary |

PWD says these tests show its treatment is protecting drinking water from the effects of plumbing corrosion. Note what the table also shows: results ranged up to 21 ppb, and one home was above the action level. A city-wide result is a good sign for the system, not a reading for a particular kitchen tap.

## Is Philadelphia tap water safe to drink?

PWD’s answer, on its [lead FAQ](https://water.phila.gov/lead/faq/), rests on that testing: its treatment is protecting drinking water from plumbing corrosion. It still recommends, as an extra step, flushing cold water for three to five minutes after the water has sat unused for six hours or more. The EPA’s [basic information on lead in drinking water](https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/basic-information-about-lead-drinking-water) adds why care matters even at low levels: it sets the health goal for lead at zero and says there is no safe level of exposure, and young children, infants and fetuses are particularly vulnerable.

So the honest answer is that the City’s water is treated to limit lead, and what reaches your glass depends on the pipes between the main and your tap. The only way to know what your own tap delivers is a test.

## Does PWD test for lead at home taps?

Yes. PWD says it will conduct free water quality tests for customers with concerns about lead plumbing or water quality, and its lead FAQ explains how to request one. Owners sometimes ask whether they are required to test; PWD presents testing as something customers request when concerned. Rules that may apply when a home is sold or leased are outside this guide.

A test shows what came out of the tap on that day. A low result does not prove the service line is not lead, and a high result does not show which part of the plumbing it came from. That is why a high result calls for finding the source first, the service line, the interior plumbing or a fixture, before deciding what to replace.

## Steps PWD and the EPA describe for your tap

- **Flush before drinking.** PWD recommends running cold water for three to five minutes after it has sat unused for six hours or more. PWD says that costs about a couple of pennies per flush, and showering, laundry or a toilet flush also moves stagnant water out of the pipes.
- **Use cold water** for drinking, cooking and preparing baby formula, the EPA says.
- **Do not rely on boiling.** The EPA notes that boiling water does not remove lead.
- **Use a certified filter.** PWD advises looking for filters certified for lead reduction by NSF, and following the maker’s instructions. The EPA adds not to run hot water through the filter, and to replace cartridges as directed.

These are interim steps. They reduce exposure; they do not change what the pipes are made of.

## How your pipes fit in

There are two separate places lead can come from, and they need different fixes.

**The service line.** If the pipe from the street is lead or galvanized, or PWD’s map shows incomplete records, the [lead service line check guide](https://philadelphiafreedomrepipe.com/guide/check-if-you-have-a-lead-service-line/) explains how to find out. Replacement may come through a City program, covered in the [free lead line replacement guide](https://philadelphiafreedomrepipe.com/guide/free-lead-line-replacement-philadelphia/), or through the owner, with the [PWD HELP loan](https://philadelphiafreedomrepipe.com/guide/pwd-help-loan/) as one way to pay.

**The pipes inside.** Old galvanized risers, lead solder on older copper, and brass valves and faucets sit after the meter. Replacing the service line does nothing for them. If the interior is old galvanized, a [galvanized pipe replacement](https://philadelphiafreedomrepipe.com/galvanized-pipe-replacement/) or [whole-house repiping](https://philadelphiafreedomrepipe.com/whole-house-repiping/) replaces it from the meter to the fixtures. The [guide to identifying your water pipes](https://philadelphiafreedomrepipe.com/guide/how-to-identify-your-water-pipes/) explains how to tell what you have, and the [rusty water guide](https://philadelphiafreedomrepipe.com/guide/rusty-water-philadelphia/) covers discolored water, which is a different symptom from lead and has its own causes.

Philadelphia Freedom Repipe replaces service lines and interior piping through licensed and insured contractors; inside the city, a Philadelphia licensed master plumber oversees the job and pulls the L&I permit. It does not test water; PWD’s free test is the place to start.

## Questions about this guide

### Is there a safe level of lead in drinking water?

The EPA says there is no safe level of exposure to lead, and it has set the maximum contaminant level goal for lead in drinking water at zero. That goal is a health target, not a legal limit, but it is why the EPA and PWD describe steps to reduce lead at the tap even when test results are low.

### Is it safe to shower in Philadelphia water if my service line is lead?

The EPA says bathing and showering should be safe for adults and children, even if the water contains lead above the EPA's action level. Its guidance on reducing exposure is about water you drink or cook with: use cold water for drinking, cooking and baby formula, and do not rely on boiling, which does not remove lead.

### Doesn't running the tap to flush the pipes waste water and raise my bill?

PWD says running the water for about three to five minutes a day costs about a couple of pennies per flush. Showering, flushing a toilet or running the washer also clears water that has been sitting in the pipes, so the cold tap may need less time afterwards. PWD suggests using the flushed water on plants you do not eat.

## Related service

### Lead service line replacement

The water service line from the main in the street to the meter inside the house, replaced when it is lead or galvanized, with the L&I permit, PWD connection and sidewalk restoration planned in one scope.

## More guides

- Learn [How Do I Check If I Have a Lead Service Line in Philadelphia?](https://philadelphiafreedomrepipe.com/guide/check-if-you-have-a-lead-service-line/)Reading the Water Department's Service Line Material Map, what an 'unknown' or incomplete record means for your address, how to test the pipe where it enters by the meter, and why the street line and the pipes inside are separate questions.
- Decision Guide [Can I Get My Lead Service Line Replaced for Free in Philadelphia?](https://philadelphiafreedomrepipe.com/guide/free-lead-line-replacement-philadelphia/)The City routes that can replace a lead or galvanized service line at no charge, who each one reaches, what it leaves to the owner, and what to do if none of them reaches your block.
- Learn [How Do You Identify the Water Pipes in Your House?](https://philadelphiafreedomrepipe.com/guide/how-to-identify-your-water-pipes/)A step-by-step way to tell galvanized steel, copper, lead, PEX, CPVC and polybutylene apart, using a coin, a magnet and the printing on the pipe, and where to find each run in a Philadelphia rowhouse.
- Learn [Why Is My Tap Water Rusty or Brown in Philadelphia?](https://philadelphiafreedomrepipe.com/guide/rusty-water-philadelphia/)Brown or rust-colored water can start in the street, in the house piping or in the water heater. A few simple checks narrow it down before anyone blames the pipes, and tell you whether the call goes to the Water Department or a plumber.
- Decision Guide [How Does the PWD HELP Loan Work for a Water Service Line?](https://philadelphiafreedomrepipe.com/guide/pwd-help-loan/)The Water Department's zero-interest loan for service line and other exterior plumbing work: the terms, who qualifies, the lien on the property, who does the work, and the interior piping it does not cover.