Water Service Line Information

What you can do to reduce lead exposure in drinking water related to lead water services:

Run your water to flush out lead. If the plumbing in your home is accessible, you may be able to inspect your own plumbing to determine whether or not you have a lead service line. Otherwise, you will most likely have to hire a plumber.

• If you do not have a lead service line, running the water for 1-2 minutes at the kitchen tap should clear the lead from your household plumbing to the kitchen tap. Once you have done this, fill a container with water and store it in the refrigerator for drinking, cooking, and preparing baby formula throughout the day.

• If you do have a lead service line, flushing times can vary based on the length of your service line and the plumbing configuration in your home. The length of lead service lines varies considerably. Flushing for at least 3- 5 minutes is recommended.

Use cold water for drinking, cooking, and preparing baby formula. Do not cook with or drink water from the hot water tap; lead dissolves more easily into hot water. Do not use water from the hot water tap to make baby formula.

Look for alternative sources or treatment of water. You may want to consider purchasing bottled water or a water filter that is certified to remove “total lead”.

Do not boil water to remove lead. Boiling water will not reduce lead.

Purchase lead-free faucets and plumbing components. Clean and remove any debris from faucet aerators on a regular basis.

Test your water for lead. Call us at: 847-588-7900 to find out how to get your water tested for lead. While we do not do the testing, we can provide a list of laboratories certified to do the testing. Laboratories will send you the bottles for sample collection. Please note that we are not affiliated with the laboratories and they will charge you a fee.

• If test results indicate a lead level above 15 ug/L, bottle water should be used by pregnant women, breast-feeding women, young children, and formula-fed infants.

Remove the entire lead service line. The Village currently does not have a program to replace water services. We are working to develop options for residents and will publish notice in the Village newsletter once options become available. At this time, homeowners must contract individually with licensed plumbers to have their service lines replaced.