If I’m concerned about lead in my water, what can I do?
While Puyallup has a long record of complying with lead level requirements, and the vast majority of results for lead are low, they are not zero. Flushing fixtures in your home prior to using them is one of the easiest and most effective ways to further reduce the risk of exposure to lead in water. Generally, water must sit in contact with plumbing materials and fixtures for a few hours in order for small amounts of lead to enter the drinking water. Running water between 30 seconds and 2 minutes after it sits stagnant in the pipe will reduce any amount of lead that may be present in your water. A change in the temperature of water indicates when fresh water arrives.

It is also recommended to use water from the cold water tap for drinking and food preparation, because warm water can be more corrosive than cold. Cleaning out faucet aerators is a good idea to ensure that any old lead solder debris does not collect there. Please call 253-841-5505 for more information.

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1. How does lead get into people’s drinking water?
2. How do high levels of lead in the water affect people?
3. What went wrong with the water in Flint, Michigan in 2014 and 2015?
4. How does Puyallup Water help prevent lead from getting into people’s drinking water?
5. What is Puyallup Water’s process for testing for lead and who sets the rules for that?
6. When did Puyallup Water start testing for lead and why?
7. How does Puyallup Water report lead findings to customers?
8. Who regulates our water supply?
9. Are those regulations protective enough?
10. Who oversees trends in our area’s public health or has access to track lead levels in children in our area? What are they reporting?
11. Are there inherent differences between Flint’s water supply and Puyallup’s water supply?
12. If I’m concerned about lead in my water, what can I do?
13. What homes are at high risk of having lead contamination through the pipes?