Lead in Palos Heights tap water: what the records show and how to lower your risk

What Palos Heights's records show

• In 2023 testing, 9 out of 10 tested Palos Heights homes had 0 ppb of lead or less. The action level is 15 ppb, and the EPA's health goal is 0.
• The highest single lead result reported was 2.47 ppb.
• No tested home was above the 15 ppb action level.
• 58.4% of Palos Heights homes were built before 1980 (Census ACS 2024), before lead solder was banned in 1986.

With no verified lead service lines, the lead question for a Palos Heights home is mostly the plumbing inside it — older solder, brass faucets, and fixtures.

See every number with its source on the Palos Heights water report card.

Where lead in tap water comes from

Lead almost never comes from the lake or the treatment plant. According to EPA, it gets into water when plumbing that contains lead wears away. The biggest source is a lead service line — the pipe from the street into a building. In homes without one, the usual sources are brass or chrome-plated brass faucets and plumbing joined with lead solder. Lead pipes and solder are more likely in homes built before 1986.

CDC notes that you can't see, taste, or smell lead in water, so the only way to know what's coming out of your tap is to test it.

Why the health goal for lead is zero

EPA and CDC agree there is no known safe level of lead in a child's blood. That's why EPA set the health goal for lead in drinking water at zero. EPA lists these as the most significant health effects of lead exposure — as a reference, not a diagnosis:

• Children: behavior and learning problems, lower IQ and hyperactivity, slowed growth, hearing problems, and anemia.
• Pregnancy: reduced growth of the baby and premature birth.
• Adults: higher blood pressure and heart effects, decreased kidney function, and reproductive problems.

EPA estimates drinking water can make up 20% or more of a person's total lead exposure, and 40% to 60% for infants who mostly drink formula mixed with tap water. Paint, dust, and soil are other common sources.

Free steps you can take today

• Use cold water. Use only cold tap water for drinking, cooking, and making baby formula. Hot water can hold more lead, and boiling does not remove lead.
• Run the tap first. Water that sits in pipes for hours can pick up more lead. Before drinking, run the tap, take a shower, or run a load of laundry or dishes to bring in fresh water.
• Clean the aerator. Unscrew the little screen at the end of your faucet every few months and rinse it. Tiny bits of sediment and lead can collect there.
• Learn your service line. Ask your water department what your service line is made of, or use EPA's Protect Your Tap guide to check at your water meter.
• Test your own tap. Your town's report covers the whole system, not your faucet. Ask your water department about lead testing, or use a certified laboratory.

Filters that are certified for lead

CDC recommends a filter certified to NSF/ANSI 53 for lead and NSF/ANSI 42 for particulates. Certification is for a specific model, not a whole brand. A few pitcher filters that carry a lead certification:

• Brita Elite filter (model OB06): Certified by IAPMO R&T to NSF/ANSI 53 for lead reduction in listed Brita pitchers, plus NSF/ANSI 42 Class I particulates. Rated for 120 gallons, about 6 months. Brita's Original (Standard) and BritaPlus pitcher filters are not certified for lead.
• PUR PLUS pitcher filter (PPF951K): PUR states it is certified to NSF/ANSI 53 for lead reduction. Rated for 40 gallons. Only genuine PUR PLUS cartridges in compatible PUR pitchers carry the certification.
• Culligan ZeroWater 5-stage filter (ZEROF01): Certified by IAPMO R&T to NSF/ANSI 53 for lead, PFOA, and PFOS reduction. The lead and PFAS certification is for 15 gallons, so filters need changing often. Good if PFAS is your concern; plan for frequent filter changes.

For filtered water at the kitchen tap without refilling a pitcher, an under-sink reverse osmosis system certified to NSF/ANSI 58 (and 53 for lead) is the permanent option. Ours starts at $1,195 installed, and the exact certification listing is on your quote.

When to talk to a doctor

CDC says most children and adults exposed to lead have no symptoms. If you think your child has been exposed, ask their doctor about a blood lead test.