Health Risks of Lead
You turn on the faucet for a glass of water, wash your dishes, or make a bottle for your baby — and never think twice about what’s flowing through those old pipes. But in many neighborhoods across Chicago, Niles, Park Ridge, Des Plaines, Mount Prospect, Wilmette, Northbrook, and Edison Park, lead service lines are still carrying water into homes every single day.
Even tiny amounts of lead in drinking water can build up in the body over time — especially in children — which makes understanding the risks a smart first step toward protecting your family.
There is no safe level of lead in drinking water. – CDC
The EPA action level: 15 parts per billion (ppb) – EPA Lead & Copper Rule
Chicago has nearly 400,000 homes with lead service lines — more than any city in the U.S. — City of Chicago
Lead affects the body in many ways — and no amount is safe. Even low levels can cause damage that can’t be reversed.
In Adults
Long term exposure can lead to.
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High blood pressure and heart disease
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Kidney damage
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Memory and cognitive decline
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Migraines and mood disorders
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Fertility problems in both men and women
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Numbness, tingling, and nerve pain
EPA: Lead Health Effects
Lead poisoning is treatable — but not fully “curable.”
The best treatment is preventing more exposure.
If you’re concerned your family may be exposed, testing and reducing contact with lead right now makes the biggest difference. If you need your lead line replaced, give contact us today to get your free estimate.
Their brains and nervous systems are still developing, so lead can lead to:
Learning difficulties and lower IQ
Speech and language delays
Behavioral issues (irritability, attention problems)
Slower growth and development
Hearing loss
Seizures in severe cases
CDC: Lead Exposure Effects in Children
Lead can cross the placenta and harm both parent and baby:
Premature birth
Low birthweight
Miscarriage or stillbirth
Developmental delays for the child
NIH: Maternal Lead Exposure
Older adults with existing health issues may experience:
Worsening heart and kidney problems
Increased fall risk due to cognitive effects
Lead usually isn’t in the water that leaves the treatment plant. It gets into drinking water when it passes through:
Lead service lines connecting homes to the water main
Lead-based solder used in copper plumbing installed before 1986
Old brass faucets and fixtures
Chicago and many nearby suburbs used lead pipes well into the 1980s. When water sits in these pipes — overnight or during the workday — it can pick up lead particles that end up right in your tap.
Factors that increase lead leaching:
Age of the plumbing
Water sitting stagnant in pipes
Construction or plumbing repairs that disturb old pipes
Corrosive or changing water chemistry
Homes with lead service lines (very common across Chicago and nearby suburbs).
Properties built before 1986 that may still have lead solder or older fixtures.
Small children and pregnant women — not because they’re exposed more, but because their bodies absorb and retain more lead, making the health impacts more severe.
Buildings with low water use — water that sits in pipes for long stretches can collect more lead before it reaches the tap.
Run cold water for 2–5 minutes before drinking or cooking
Use cold water for baby formula (lead dissolves more in hot water)
Install and maintain a certified water filter for lead removal
Clean faucet aerators monthly — particles can collect behind the screen
If possible: replace your home’s lead service line, we can help with that. Contact us here for a free estimate.
Want step-by-step prevention tips?
Visit our Lead Safety Guide (internal link here)
