LEAD and your drinking water

We all know exposure to lead is harmful and have heard the troubling stories about lead in drinking water like the situation in Flint, Michigan. But did you know that lead has been detected in dozens of water systems throughout Louisiana. Lead can enter your water system from a variety of sources including old deteriorating pipes and lead solder. It is important to know if your water may contain lead and what to do about it.

EPA Lead in drinking water infographic

There are a plethora of resources online to help you understand the impacts of lead on your health, potential sources of lead in your household and what you can do about protecting your family and making sure your drinking water is safe. Click on the images and buttons to the left and below to explore some of these resources.

Find Lead Pipes in Your Home Lead Service Line Replacement Test, Know, Act - a look at our test kit

How Can I Test For Lead in My Water?

A collaborative between Healthy Babies, Bright Futures and Virginia Tech offers a great, low cost lead test.

Different from other lead tests, our kit, designed by HBBF and Virginia Tech, provides detailed results and customized action steps on what to do about your results. Our goal is to help you take effective actions to reduce exposures after receiving your results. Your test results will come with a clear list of steps you can take to protect your family.

By using this kit you are also participating in a collaborative, crowd-sourced research project on water quality that can influence national policy, helping HBBF, our partner organizations, and Virginia Tech in their work to ensure safe drinking water for everyone. - https://hbbf.org/lead-drinking...

Get a lead test kit

Who can I contact in Louisiana if I think I am being exposed to lead?

The Louisiana Healthy Homes and Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program is a program of the Louisiana Department of Health, Office of Public Health, Bureau of Family Health. There program goals are to:

  • eliminate childhood lead poisoning in Louisiana
  • ensure that all healthcare providers test children under the age of six for lead in their blood
  • reduce or eliminate lead in the home by testing homes and properties for lead hazards
  • coordinate care for children affected by lead poisoning

click here to learn more

Water Testing and Standards
Water Treatment