Lead in Drinking Water

If you are a San Francisco resident, you can order a lead test for $25.00 per tap. Participants in the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program can order a lead test for free. 

Lead Testing for San Francisco Residents

San Francisco residents can order a lead test for $25 per tap. Participants in the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program are eligible for free lead testing.

How to Order a Lead Test

1. Complete the application.
   Fill out the Lead Testing Application.
    
2. Submit the application and payment.
   Mail the completed application along with payment (Check or Money Order ONLY) made payable to San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) to:
   
   SFPUC Water Quality Division 
   Attn: Lead Program Coordinator
   1657 Rollins Road
   Burlingame, CA 94010
    
3. Receive sample kit / sample collection. 
   After the SFPUC processes your application and payment, you will receive a confirmation email with lead testing instructions and delivery dates for your sample kit(s). Residents are responsible for collecting samples from their tap(s).
    
4. Coordinate sample pickup.
   Follow the lead testing instructions to collect your sample. Then, within 10 days from when you collected the sample, contact SFPUC for pickup.
    
5. Receive your test results.
   The SFPUC will send your lead test results by email or mail.

The SFPUC constantly monitors for lead and copper in our drinking water supply. We have conducted this monitoring for decades. Our water meets all federal and state standards for lead and copper.

The State Water Resources Control Board uses the results of our water quality monitoring to see if additional studies or treatment are needed.  You can see the results of the Lead and Copper Rule monitoring program in the City and County of San Francisco for the years 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018, 2021, and 2024.

Please contact our Water Quality Division at 650-652-3100 if you have any questions about our lead testing program.

Do faucets have lead?

In 2010, new regulations were passed that require that residential kitchen faucets, bathroom faucets, bar faucets, drinking fountains, and icemakers have decreased or eliminated lead levels.

Most faucets purchased prior to 1997 were made of brass or chrome-plated brass. These materials contain up to 8 percent lead. Water sitting overnight (or for several hours) in a brass faucet tends to leach lead from the brass faucet interior. This may produce relatively high lead levels in the first draw of drinking water.  

Even if you have a brass faucet, there are actions you can take to lower your risk of potential lead exposure. You can find our list of tips to reduce potential lead exposure on our Frequently Asked Questions on Lead page.  

How can I tell if a new faucet is lead free?

Lead-free faucets are certified by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) International Standard 61-Section 9. This standard certifies the lead-free status of all plumbing fixtures.

You can find a list of approved lead-free fixtures at 1-800-NSF-MARK or www.nsf.org. New faucets that have been certified will have “NSF 61/9” stamped on the new faucet’s cardboard box.

Please note that the term “lead free” does not mean that faucets will leach zero lead. The legal definition of “lead free” allows a faucet to leach up to 11 parts per billion (ppb) of lead. A part per billion is comparable to one cent out of 10 million dollars.

California passed Proposition 65, which sets a stricter standard for faucet lead leaching. In California, a faucet can only leach 5 ppb of lead. Any faucet sold in California which does not meet the California standard must have a Proposition 65-package warning insert or a warning hang tag.

If your new faucet has both an NSF 61/9 stamp on the cardboard box and has no Proposition 65 warning, then your faucet is both a lead-free and an ultra-low lead faucet. This is the most desirable faucet.

Are there any faucets with no lead at all?

Some faucet manufacturers produce plastic faucets that have virtually zero lead. Other manufacturers are substituting other metals for the lead in brass faucets, inserting copper tubes inside the brass faucets, or applying special coatings on the inside of the faucets in order to minimize or eliminate lead leaching.

Does it really matter if I have an ultra-low lead faucet?

If you follow our recommendations to lower potential lead exposure, it should not matter what kind of faucet you have.

Here’s what you can do to lower potential lead exposure:

1. In the morning, let the water run at the tap for one minute.
2. Use cold water for cooking.

Those two actions will lower the risk of lead leaching in the first draw of water. To learn more recommendations, visit our list of tips to reduce potential lead exposure on our Frequently Asked Questions on Lead page.  

What should I do if I’m worried about lead in my faucet?

If you are concerned about lead in your faucet, there’s a few things you can do:

1. Replace your faucet with a new ultra-low lead faucet.
2. If you are a San Francisco resident, you can order a lead test from the SFPUC for $25 per tap. Participants in the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program can order a lead test for free.
3. Visit our list of tips to reduce potential lead exposure on our Frequently Asked Questions on Lead page.