Advice to Chicago Residents About Lead in Drinking Water | EPA in Illinois
Flushing when the water has not been used for several hours Whether or not you have a lead service line , whenever the water has not been used in the household for several hours, you should run the water to flush the lead out. The more time water has been sitting in your home's pipes, the more lead it may contain. This is true even if you do not have a lead service line because plumbing fixtures like faucets and valves can contain small amounts of lead. However, the amount of time you should run the water to flush the lead out depends on whether you have a lead service line or not. How long to run the water if you do not have a lead service line Running the water for 30 to 45 seconds at the kitchen tap should clear the lead from your household plumbing to the kitchen tap. If you have old (corroded) galvanized iron pipe in your home, it may take up to 1 minute to fully flush the tap. Once you have done this, fill a container with water and store it in the refrigerator for drinkin...