Is There Lead In My Drinking Water?

You may already know that exposure to lead in paint and other household items like jewelry and children’s toys is harmful to your health. While there has been more education about this in the last few decades, as well as steps to eliminate exposure through certain products, it is still something to be mindful of, especially when it comes to the drinking water in your Sycamore, IL, home.

According to a 2021 Chicago Tribune article, “More than 8 of every 10 Illinoisans live in a community where brain-damaging lead was found in the tap water of at least one home during the past six years.” This is an alarming number, and a problem worth exploring given the statistics. There has been particular concern about the possibility of harmful lead in the Sycamore, IL, water supply.

In fact, a 2023  Daily Chronicle article states that “In the past year and a half, at least 60 Sycamore homes have been tested for lead in the water, with at least six reporting levels ranging from 18 parts per billion to 304. The amount deemed legal by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is 15. However, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, any amount of lead exposure can be damaging to a person’s brain.”  

You should first know that lead is not commonly found in water. Water can become contaminated from soil that contains lead as it travels underground, making its way into your municipality’s water supply. Another, and more likely, way that lead enters the water supply is through corrosion of materials used in the water distribution system.

Pipes that deliver water to your community, pipes that connect the water supply to homes and businesses, and pipes within homes and buildings could contain lead and contaminate the water supply. Before the mid-1980’s, it was also common practice for lead soldering to be used to connect pipes. Other common sources of lead include water faucets and other fixtures.

Even if your municipality’s water supply is free from lead, the pipes and fixtures in your home could be putting lead into your drinking water. This is why it is important to have the water supply in your Sycamore, IL, home tested for lead and other contaminants.

As cited in the Daily Chronicle article, Prairie State Water Solutions has collected water samples from Sycamore, IL, homes and had them sent to an EPA approved lab for analysis. As water specialists, our team can work with you to have your home’s water tested to determine if there is lead in your home’s water, specifically. If lead is detected, we can also provide you with options for removing the lead, and any other contaminants found.

While the CDC and EPA differ on the level of lead in water deemed to be safe, you can take control of the water coming into your home by having it tested and taking measures to remove any contaminants, if needed. To learn more and schedule an in-home water evaluation, call Prairie State Water Solutions at 1-630-864-7078.