US cities with the worst lead risk in tap water
The EPA has no safe level for lead exposure in children. Lead in tap water comes almost exclusively from pipes inside homes and buildings — not the treatment plant. Cities with aging infrastructure, pre-1986 homes, and unreplaced lead service lines carry the highest risk.
Lead leaches into water from pipes, solder, and fixtures — especially when water sits overnight or when water chemistry causes corrosion. Boiling does not remove lead. Standard pitcher filters (Brita, PUR) do not remove lead. Only reverse osmosis or NSF/ANSI 53-certified filters remove lead at the tap.
The risk is highest in homes built before 1986 (when lead solder and lead pipes were banned), apartment buildings with brass fixtures, and cities with unreplaced lead service lines connecting the water main to the home.
Check your specific ZIP code — city-wide risk doesn't mean every home is affected equally. Newer buildings and those with plastic pipes have lower risk.
Test your tap — a certified mail-in test (SimpleLab Tap Score) gives you the actual measured lead level at your specific tap.
Filter at the tap — NSF/ANSI 53-certified pitchers (Clearly Filtered) or reverse osmosis systems remove lead. Run the water for 30 seconds first if your pipes may contain lead.