Lead in Drinking Water
In 1991, the Lead & Copper Rule (LCR) was enacted under the Safe Drinking Water Act. This regulation set action levels for lead and copper in drinking water. Action levels are not health standards but are set to limit the amount of lead and copper in drinking water. In 2024, the Lead & Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) took effect, which strengthened the sampling and monitoring requirements for lead in drinking water to be more protective of public health. As a result, testing within customer homes has shown lead concentrations in drinking water to be higher than previously determined under the LCR.
The latest round of testing conducted under the requirements of the LCRR between January 1 through June 30 of 2025 in 100 customer homes indicates the 90th percentile result exceeds the action level of 15 parts per billion for lead, this is referred to as an Action Level Exceedance (ALE). An Action Level Exceedance is not a violation of any drinking water standard but triggers other requirements as defined in the LCRR.
The ALE does not mean that all drinking water contains lead. It is a statistical representation of lead found in specific qualified homes that participate in the sampling program. However, the ALE requires that the entire community be notified and that further information be provided pertaining to lead in drinking water.
Actions being taken by the city to mitigate lead exposure risks from drinking water include:
Additional information is provided throughout this portion of the website for lead in drinking water.
FAQs about Lead Service Lines(PDF, 2MB)
FAQs about Lead Service Lines (Spanish)(PDF, 2MB)
Lead Service Replacement Open Data Portal
Basic Information About Lead in Drinking Water
Lead is a common, naturally occurring metal found throughout the environment. Lead seldom occurs naturally in water supplies like rivers and lakes, and lead is rarely present in drinking water coming from a treatment plant. Lead enters drinking water primarily as a result of corrosion or wearing away of materials in the water distribution system and household plumbing that contains lead.
Lead is a concern because it can cause long term effects if it builds up in the body over many years. Children are more vulnerable to lead because their bodies are smaller and because they are still developing. Pregnant women and their unborn babies are also at higher risk for negative health effects associated with lead exposure.
Where Lead is Most Commonly Detected
There is no detectable level of lead in the finished water pumped from the City of Aurora's Water Treatment Plant or the city's water distribution system. However, lead can dissolve into your drinking water if water sits for several hours in your plumbing fixtures or your service pipes that contain lead. Lead levels in drinking water are likely to be highest in homes with
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Lead service lines (pipes) connecting the water main in the street to your home
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Lead indoor plumbing
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Copper plumbing with lead solder
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Brass fixtures containing lead
Lead levels vary from home to home and are dependent on lead sources between the water main in the street and an individual household tap. Pipe materials vary substantially across the city, even among homes located on the same block. The concentration of lead in drinking water varies among homes within the city. Homes built prior to 1986 are more likely to have lead pipes, fixtures, and solder.
Responsibilities of the City
The City is responsible for providing high-quality drinking water, but cannot control the variety of materials previously installed in plumbing components from the water main to your home. Thus, minimizing lead exposure is a shared responsibility of the City of Aurora and individual residents. It is strongly advised that drinking water customers remove any lead pipes and lead plumbing materials serving their home.
Find Out if Your Indoor Household Plumbing Contains Lead
Contact a licensed plumber to inspect your pipes. Check the lead content in brass faucets, valves, and fittings. The manufacturer should be able to provide information about the percentage of lead in your plumbing and fixtures. Almost all faucets, valves, and fittings have brass components. Until 2014, brass faucets and fittings sold in the United States and labeled "lead-free" could contain up to eight percent lead. Effective January 2014, the Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act specifies that these materials may not contain more than 0.25% lead.
Water Service Line Material Inventory and Replacement Plan
If you are interested in notifying City staff about possible lead service line replacements, please fill out our short survey, available in English and Spanish.
In accordance with Illinois Public Act 102-0613, City staff developed a Lead Service Line Replacement Plan. The City is obligated to replace approximately 3% of all lead lines starting in 2027 until full removal. The plan details how City staff will meet this goal in conjunction with planned capital improvements to reduce total replacement costs. Additionally, plan discusses how staff developed the lead service line material inventory used to prioritize and plan replacement projects. Please click here(PDF, 15MB)
for the Replacement Plan.
To see the City of Aurora's 2025 Water Service Line Material Inventory, please click here(PDF, 7MB). For any questions regarding this information, please contact the City of Aurora at 630-256-3200 or email waterlines@aurora.il.us.
Lead Service Replacement Project – Contract 1
Construction of the replacement of approximately 600 lead water service lines at various locations throughout the City of Aurora for the Lead Service Replacement Project – Contract 1 were financed by the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (SRF). The SRF program is administered by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and receives a portion of its money to fund these types of projects from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This project includes replacing lead water service lines from the water main or water shut off valve to the water meter at various locations throughout the City of Aurora. Once complete, it will improve water quality for area residents and businesses in the City of Aurora by reducing the lead levels in drinking water. SRF programs operate in each state to provide communities the resources necessary to build, maintain, and improve the infrastructure that protects one of our most valuable resources: water.
Lead Service Line Forms
City Replacement Authorization Form(PDF, 120KB)
- Authorizes the City to replace your lead service line when it has been targeted through a Capital Improvement Program.
Homeowner Self-Funded Form(PDF, 685KB)
- When the homeowner replaces their own service line and requests the City to replace the portion of the service line in the Right-of-Way.
IDPH Waiver / Lead Replacement Waiver Form(PDF, 2MB)
- Required if a homeowner refuses lead service line replacement by the City.
FAQs: Lead Service Lines
Why did I receive a letter regarding my lead service line?
In April, the City submitted an inventory of all water service line materials connected to the water system to the Illinois EPA. The Federal Lead and Copper Rule (40 CFR Part 141 Subpart I) requires any municipalities with lead lines to notify all affected households annually after inventory submission.
The letters do not indicate a change in operation of the water system. They are a required notification meant to inform households that the City believes they are serviced or served by a lead line and provide information on how to mitigate the risks.
I have a galvanized or unknown service line, what does that mean?
Lead particulates can attach to the inside of downstream galvanized piping. This lead may later leach back into the water system. An unknown service line means that the City does not know what material your service line is made of. The EPA dictates that any unknown materials must be treated as lead-containing until determined. If you received a letter stating you are serviced by an unknown water line, please fill out the short survey, available in English and Spanish, to help identify the material.
Am I at risk from lead in drinking water?
When lead enters into the water supply it poses a health risk, particularly for developing children and pregnant women. The City reduces the corrosive properties of water at the Water Treatment Plant to reduce heavy metals entering into the water system.
However, homes with lead fixtures or serviced by a lead water line still have potential to corrode and release lead particulate. The only way to know whether your tap water contains lead is to have it tested. You cannot see, taste, or smell lead in your drinking water.
How can I get my water tested?
Upon request, the Water Production Division will sample customer tap water for lead. The Water Production Division works with the following certified laboratories for lead testing. Contact the Water Production Division at 630-256-3250.
First Environmental Laboratory
1600 Shore Rd, Naperville, IL 60563
(630) 778-1200
Eurofins Eaton Analytical
110 S Hill St, South Bend, IN 46617
(574) 233-4777
How can I get my lead service line replaced?
Currently there are approximately 16,200 lead service lines within the City. Starting in 2027, Aurora is mandated by the IEPA to annually replace approximately 3% of the total initial lead service lines, or about 700 service lines each year, until 2060. The City currently conducts this activity as part of its Capital Improvement Plan which includes water main and/or sewer main installation and repair. Through this program, your lead service line will eventually be replaced by the City at no cost to you. However we cannot guarantee that your line will be replaced in the next several years.
A homeowner owns the entire water service line to the water main and is welcome to replace the portion of the water line on private property at their own expense. If a homeowner chooses to replace that portion of their line, the City within 30 days at its own expense will replace the section of the service line from the water shut-off valve (known as a B-Box) to the water main. It typically costs the homeowner $4,000-6,000 to replace the portion on private property. Please reach out to the Engineering Division at 630-256-3200 if you have additional questions or would like to move forward with this option to expedite the service replacement.
How can I mitigate the dangers of lead?
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Remove any interior pipe or plumbing fixtures within the home that may contain lead – older fixtures often contain lead solder – and purchase low-lead or lead-free fixtures.
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Water filters rated for lead removal (NSF 53) can reduce lead to 5 PPB or less.
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Flushing your water system – stagnant water may concentrate lead particulate. Anytime water sits within a fixture for six hours or more, it is recommended to flush that line. Flushed water can be used for non-consumptive purposes such as watering plants or washing clothes. Also, after flushing the tap, fill a couple of pitcher-sized containers with drinking water and place them in a refrigerator for drinking or cooking uses later.
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Clean faucet aerators monthly – aerators can capture sediment and debris, potentially concentrating lead particulate.
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Use cold water for cooking or preparing formula. Hot water may release more lead into the system. Note that boiling water does not remove lead but may concentrate it as the water volume decreases from boiling.