Lead in Connecticut Drinking Water
By Alexander Snyder, Founder & Water Quality Data Lead
The U.S. EPA sets the legal limit for Lead at 0.015 mg/L. Health-based guidelines are frequently stricter than this federal legal limit, so a level that is legal is not always health-protective.
“The U.S. EPA has set the Maximum Contaminant Level Goal for Lead at zero, because there is no level of exposure below which there is no risk of adverse health effects.”— U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG)
Lead has been detected in 266 Connecticut ZIP codes, above a limit or health guideline in 198. Here is what you need to know about lead in your drinking water and how it may affect your household.
What Is Lead?
Lead is a toxic heavy metal that leaches into drinking water from corroded pipes, solder, and plumbing fixtures, particularly in homes built before 1986. The EPA action level is 15 parts per billion, but no amount of lead in water is considered safe. Chronic exposure causes developmental delays in children and kidney damage in adults.
Is Lead in Your Water?
Enter your Connecticut ZIP code to find out if lead is in your local water — and see personalized health risks for your household.
Check Your ZIP CodeHealth Effects of Lead
Brain and nervous system damage, developmental delays in children, reduced IQ, behavioral problems, kidney damage, and reproductive harm. No safe level of lead exposure has been identified, especially for children under 6.
Safety Guidelines
Legal Limit (MCL)
0.015 mg/L
EPA Maximum Contaminant Level
Lead's health-based safe level is set below the federal legal limit.
| Standard | Level | Source |
|---|---|---|
| EPA Legal Limit (MCL) | 0.015 mg/L | EPA |
Where Does Lead Come From?
Corrosion of household plumbing and lead service lines; lead solder on copper pipes; brass fixtures; erosion of natural deposits.
How to Reduce Lead in Your Water
- 1Install a point-of-use filter certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 53 for lead reduction, such as a reverse osmosis system or activated carbon block filter.
- 2Run cold water for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before drinking or cooking, especially after water has sat in pipes for several hours, to flush lead-laden water from the service line.
- 3Replace lead service lines and any brass fixtures or lead solder connections in your home plumbing, and test your water annually through a state-certified laboratory.
- 4Never use hot tap water for drinking, cooking, or preparing baby formula, as hot water dissolves lead from plumbing more readily than cold water.
Who Is Most Vulnerable to Lead?
The safe level of lead varies significantly depending on who is drinking the water. CheckYourTap calculates adjusted safe levels for each member of your household:
A contaminant level that is safe for an adult may exceed guidelines for an infant by 4-8x or more. Check your ZIP code to see personalized results.
Reading this inside ChatGPT or Claude?
This page can tell you the general science, but not what is actually in your water’s lead level — that depends on your exact address. You can get your specific answer two ways:
- Inside the chat: ask your assistant to “check my tap water with CheckYourTap”. Our connector returns your ZIP code’s measured contaminant levels — including the derived dog and cat safe levels — and, only if you ask it to, can email you the report or arrange a specialist callback.
- On the web: open CheckYourTap.com and enter your ZIP code for a free 30-second report.
Concerned about Lead in your water?
Schedule to get your water tested for lead and more — a Valiant water specialist will review your results and arrange testing for your home.
Have a dog or cat?
Lead affects pets differently — they drink far more water per pound of body weight, and some are more sensitive than people. See the derived safe levels and the veterinary science:
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lead in my tap water?▾
What level of Lead is safe?▾
How do I remove Lead from my water?▾
Related Contaminants
Check Water Quality by ZIP Code
Sources
The legal limits and health guidelines for Lead on this page come from the following public authorities:
About This Report
This water quality report is compiled from public records filed with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, state health departments, and the U.S. Geological Survey. Contaminant levels are evaluated against EPA federal standards and health-based guidelines from leading environmental and public health organizations. CheckYourTap is a service of Valiant Energy Solutions, a Connecticut water quality and energy services company established in 1930.
This report is general information, not medical advice or a substitute for certified laboratory testing. Talk to your pediatrician or physician about specific health concerns.
Reviewed by the CheckYourTap editorial team. Last updated July 2026