If you’re a homeowner in Needham or anywhere in Massachusetts, you’ve probably heard concerns about lead in drinking water. Maybe you’ve received a letter from your local water department, or you’re just wondering whether your family’s tap water is truly safe to drink.
Here’s the good news: understanding and addressing lead in your water doesn’t have to be complicated. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about lead contamination, how to test for it, and: most importantly: how to remove it from your drinking water.
How Does Lead Get Into Your Drinking Water?
Lead doesn’t come from the water treatment plant. Massachusetts water systems, including the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA), actually provide lead-free water. So where’s the problem?
Lead enters your tap water through the pipes in your home and the service line connecting your house to the street. When water sits in these pipes for several hours: like overnight or while you’re at work: lead can leach into the water, especially if the pipes are corroding.
The main culprits are:
- Lead service lines connecting your home to the municipal water main
- Lead solder used in copper pipe connections (common in homes built before 1986)
- Brass fixtures and faucets that contain lead
Here’s something that might surprise you: having a lead service line doesn’t automatically mean your water contains dangerous lead levels. Since 1996, the MWRA has used corrosion-control treatment that makes water less corrosive, reducing the chances of lead leaching from pipes. In fact, measured lead levels in high-risk homes have dropped by 90% since this treatment began.
Still, it’s worth checking: especially if you have an older home.
Should You Be Worried? Understanding the Risk in Massachusetts
Massachusetts has made significant progress on lead reduction, but certain homes remain at higher risk:
- Homes built before 1986 (when lead solder was banned)
- Properties with original lead service lines
- Homes with older brass fixtures
Young children, infants, and pregnant women are most vulnerable to lead exposure, even at low levels. Lead can affect brain development, cause learning difficulties, and lead to other serious health issues.
The only way to know for certain if your water contains lead is through testing. Many Needham-area homeowners are surprised to learn they can get their water tested for free.
Vasserman offers complimentary water quality testing that checks not just for lead, but for other contaminants that might be affecting your water. As an independent water treatment specialist (not tied to any specific brand), we’ll give you honest results and practical recommendations based on what your home actually needs.
Immediate Steps You Can Take Today
While you’re arranging for testing or deciding on a filtration system, there are simple actions that can reduce lead exposure right away:
Flush Your Pipes Before Using Water
Run your cold water tap until the water becomes noticeably colder. This flushes out water that’s been sitting in your pipes for hours, where lead levels are highest. It usually takes 30 seconds to 2 minutes.
Do this first thing in the morning and after your water hasn’t been used for several hours. This simple habit can significantly reduce lead levels and costs you nothing but a little extra water.
Use Cold Water for Drinking and Cooking
Hot water dissolves lead more readily than cold water. Always use cold tap water for drinking, making coffee, cooking, and preparing baby formula. If you need hot water for cooking, heat cold water on the stove rather than drawing hot water from the tap.
Don’t Assume a Filter Will Work
Here’s where many homeowners make a critical mistake: not all water filters remove lead. In fact, most basic pitcher filters and faucet attachments don’t remove lead effectively.
Water Filtration Solutions That Actually Remove Lead
If you want reliable lead removal, you need a filtration system that’s been certified to NSF Standard 53: the gold standard for lead removal. This certification means the system has been independently tested and verified to remove lead contaminants.
Reverse Osmosis Systems: Maximum Lead Protection
Under-sink reverse osmosis systems provide the most thorough lead removal available for drinking water. These systems force water through a semi-permeable membrane that blocks lead particles along with other contaminants.
A quality reverse osmosis system removes:
- 95-99% of lead
- Heavy metals like arsenic and mercury
- Dissolved solids that affect taste
- Chlorine and chloramines
- Many other contaminants
The system installs under your kitchen sink and provides filtered water through a dedicated faucet. You’ll have unlimited clean drinking water for cooking, beverages, and drinking without buying bottled water.
BRITA PRO Whole-Home Filtration: Comprehensive Protection
Want lead protection at every tap in your home? A whole-home water filtration system treats all the water entering your house, protecting you in the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room.
BRITA PRO whole-home systems offer:
- Lead reduction throughout your entire home
- Protection for your appliances and plumbing
- Improved water taste and odor
- Reduced chlorine and other contaminants
These systems install at your main water line and require professional installation, but they provide comprehensive protection that point-of-use filters can’t match.
Vasserman specializes in water filtration system installation for both reverse osmosis and whole-home solutions. We’ll assess your specific situation, test your water, and recommend the right system for your home and budget: not the system we want to sell you.
Long-Term Solution: Lead Service Line Replacement
Filtration systems provide excellent protection, but replacing lead service lines eliminates the problem at its source. If your home has a lead service line, replacement should be on your radar.
The challenge: Service line replacement can be expensive because it involves work both on your property and in the street (usually requiring coordination with your municipality).
The opportunity: Massachusetts has several programs that make replacement more affordable:
MWRA Lead Service Line Replacement Program
The MWRA offers $100 million in 10-year zero-interest loans to communities specifically for full lead service line replacement. If your community participates, you might be eligible for financial assistance.
EPA Get the Lead Out Initiative
Several Massachusetts cities: including New Bedford, Chelsea, Fall River, Malden, Melrose, Revere, and Taunton: are participating in this federal program that provides funding and technical assistance for lead pipe identification and replacement.
Federal Mandate
By 2037, all drinking water systems must identify and replace all lead service lines. While that sounds far away, many communities are starting replacement programs now, which could mean assistance is available sooner than you think.
How to Find Out If You Have Lead Pipes
Wondering whether your home has lead service lines? Here’s how to find out:
Contact your local water department. Many Massachusetts municipalities have sent letters to residents identifying properties with lead, galvanized, or unknown water service materials. Your water department should have records about your service line.
You can also do a visual inspection:
- Lead pipes are dull gray and soft enough to scratch with a key
- Copper pipes are reddish-brown and harder
- Galvanized steel pipes are silver-gray with threaded connections
If you’re not sure what you’re looking at, take photos and contact Vasserman. We can help you identify your pipe materials during a free water quality assessment.
What Makes Vasserman Different?
When it comes to water quality testing near me and lead removal solutions, Needham homeowners have options. Here’s why local residents trust Vasserman:
We’re certified experts, not salespeople. Our recommendations are based on your actual water test results and your family’s needs: not sales quotas.
We’re independent. We’re not tied to a single brand or product line, which means we can recommend the best solution for your situation, whether that’s a simple under-sink filter or a comprehensive whole-home system.
We offer free water quality testing. You’ll know exactly what’s in your water before making any decisions about filtration systems.
We provide professional installation. A water filtration system is only as good as its installation. Our experienced technicians ensure your system is properly installed and optimized for your home’s water pressure and flow rate.
Take the First Step: Free Water Testing
You can’t fix what you don’t measure. Before investing in any lead removal solution, start with accurate testing.
Schedule your free water quality test with Vasserman today. We’ll test your water for lead and other contaminants, explain what the results mean for your family, and provide honest recommendations about the most effective and affordable solutions for your home.
Whether you’re in Needham, surrounding MetroWest communities, or elsewhere in Massachusetts, protecting your family from lead in drinking water starts with understanding your water quality.
Contact Vasserman to schedule your complimentary water test, or explore our water filtration solutions to see what options are available for Massachusetts homeowners.
Your family’s health is worth it.