Lead & Copper

Yes, our water meets all regulatory mandates. The Roswell Water Utility has never had a violation of the EPA Lead and Copper regulations. You can view our most recent Water Quality and Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) (PDF) to see just how safe and clean your drinking water is, and how it compares to federal standards.

Lead is a common naturally occurring metallic element that can be found in air, soil, and water. It is also known to be harmful to human health. Lead was commonly used in gasoline and paint until the 1970s and is still sometimes found in products such as ceramics, batteries, ammunition, and cosmetics. Lead was used for centuries in plumbing because of its pliability and resistance to leaks; in fact, lead’s chemical symbol, Pb, is derived from the Latin word for plumbing.

In 1986, U.S. Congress amended the Safe Drinking Water Act to prohibit the use of pipes, solder, or flux that were not “lead free.” At the time “lead free” was defined as solder and flux with no more than .2% lead and pipes with no more than 8%. In 2014, the maximum allowable lead content was reduced from not more than 8% to not more than a weighted average of 0.25% of the wetted surface of pipes, pipe fittings, plumbing fittings, and fixtures.

Lead poisoning often shows no symptoms; however, signs such as irritability, weight loss, vomiting, constipation, or stomach pain could occur. Young children and pregnant women are at the greatest risk, even from short‐term exposure.

To learn more about lead, its common sources, and populations who are most at-risk of lead poisoning, please visit the EPA's Learn About Lead webpage.

The primary source of lead and copper in a drinking water system is from private plumbing systems including the service line from the meter and the piping inside homes (copper piping with solder containing lead or a lead-based service line). Lead soldering of copper water pipes was banned in Georgia in 1985, but some homes still contain these plumbing systems. Per federal regulation, the City of Roswell tests locations with these at‐risk plumbing systems to ensure our corrosion control technique is effective. Since 2015, the Roswell Water Utility has used only lead‐free brass fittings and continues to proactively replace aging pipe in our system.

The Roswell Water Utility has a comprehensive Corrosion Control Program to help prevent plumbing materials such as metals from breaking down into drinking water. In order to prevent lead from dissolving into water from lead service lines/laterals or home plumbing, Roswell adjusts the water’s chemistry at the treatment plant. This process is known as corrosion control. These techniques include treating the drinking water to reduce its ability to carry lead and copper from the plumbing system to the faucet.

We sample water at homes considered to be high risk in order to ensure our corrosion control remains effective. Although corrosion control can reduce risks, the best way to assure your home is safe from lead exposure through water is to remove all of the potential sources of lead.

To protect water consumers from lead and copper contamination that could occur from their home plumbing systems, public water systems are required to use “optimized corrosion control” techniques under the Lead and Copper Rule.

The Roswell Water Utility has a comprehensive Corrosion Control Program to help prevent plumbing materials such as metals from breaking down into drinking water. In order to prevent lead from dissolving into water from lead service lines/laterals or home plumbing, Roswell adjusts the water’s chemistry at the treatment plant. This process is known as corrosion control. We sample water at homes considered to be high risk in order to ensure our corrosion control remains effective. Although corrosion control can reduce risks, the best way to assure your home is safe from lead exposure through water is to remove all of the potential sources of lead.

Because of low levels of lead and copper historically found in the service area (and an associated low level of risk for lead and copper contamination), the City of Roswell is required to submit samples collected at customer taps to the state only once every three years. The latest round of sampling was 2022. The next sampling will be 2025.

In Roswell, the most likely source of trace amounts of lead would be from private home plumbing systems, including the service line from the meter to the home and internal plumbing. Roswell’s Water Utility’s corrosion control protocol minimizes the potential for these metals to leach into drinking water.

• Homes built prior to 1970 have a greater chance of having partial lead plumbing or galvanized lines that may have coatings containing lead.
• Many homes built prior to the late 1980s may have lead solder connecting copper pipes.
• Homes built after 1985 have significantly less potential for the presence of lead.
• Newer homes with brass fixtures installed before 2015 could contain minute amounts of lead.

For more information on the history of lead plumbing and regulations, visit the EPA website.

In an older home, if a portion of your plumbing is visible you may be able to determine whether you have lead water service lines. Learn more about identifying service line materials.

• Lead lines are metallic and appear light grey in color.
• They are not magnetic.
• They may be gently scratched with a key. (Be careful not to pierce the pipe.)

You can also review records for your home to see whether the plumbing has been updated and replaced since the home was built. A plumber may be able to determine if you have lead plumbing serving your home. For more information on lead in the home, visit the EPA's Lead website.

There are a few best practices that can help to lessen the chances of ingesting trace amounts of lead from drinking water.

• Have your water tested – Contact your water utility or see vendors below to have your water tested and to learn more about the lead levels in your drinking water.
• Learn if you have a lead service line – Contact your water utility or a licensed plumber to determine if the pipe that connects your home to the water main (called a service line) is made from lead.
• Run the tap before use – Lead levels are likely at their highest when water has been sitting in the pipe for several hours. Clear this water from your pipes by running the cold water for several minutes. This allows you to draw fresh water from the main. The Roswell Water utility or a certified plumber can help you assess the right length of time. You can use this water on house plants or to flush toilets.
• Learn about construction in your neighborhood – Be aware of any construction or maintenance work that could disturb your lead service line. Construction may cause more lead to be released from a lead service line.
• Use cold water for cooking and drinking – Always cook and prepare baby formula with cold water, because hot water dissolves lead more quickly, resulting in higher levels in water.
• Clean your aerator – Aerators are small attachments at the tips of faucets which regulate the flow of water. They can accumulate small particles of lead in their screens. It’s a good idea to remove your aerators at least monthly and clean them out.
• Use your filter properly – If you use a filter, make sure you use a filter certified to remove lead. Read the directions to learn how to properly install and use your cartridge and when to replace it. Using the cartridge after it has expired can make it less effective at removing lead. Do not run hot water through the filter. Find out more on filter certification at the NSF website.

If you are concerned about the presence of lead in your drinking water, two certified labs can test it. There is a fee for the test, depending on the number of samples submitted, and is the responsibility of the homeowner to pay. Please contact them for more information and proper sample collection protocol.

• Analytical Environmental Services
  Chamblee
  (770) 457-8177
• Pace Analytical Services, Inc.
  Norcross
  (770) 734-4200