The Syracuse Water Department is working to eliminate lead water services. Lead was used in numerous building materials through the early part of the 20th century in everything from paint and gasoline to plumbing pipes and fixtures.
Syracuse’s water supply is sourced from Skaneateles Lake. The water leaving Skaneateles Lake and traveling through water mains is free of lead. However, lead is sometimes present in pipes connecting older homes to the water system or in fixtures and home plumbing. To ensure safe drinking water, the Syracuse Water Department adjusts the water’s chemistry to minimize the possibility of lead entering into the water.
If your service line material is unknown, follow the below instructions to complete a survey and submit a survey.
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Get the facts about lead in drinking water and learn what you can do to protect your family from lead!
Homes built before 1986 may have lead in plumbing like water service lines, pipes, solder, and plumbing fixtures. Lead may enter the water as it passes through the lead pipes or when it sits overnight in a home’s plumbing system. Plumbing materials, including pipes, new brass faucets, fittings, and valves, including those advertised as “lead-free,” may contribute to lead in drinking water. The law currently allows pipes, fittings, and fixtures with up to 0.25 percent weighted average of lead to be identified as “lead-free.” Skaneateles Lake is the source water for the City of Syracuse and does not contain lead. The water mains that deliver water to residents in the City of Syracuse do not contain lead.
Lead is a common metal found in the environment. Drinking water is only one possible source of lead exposure. In our area, the most common way children are exposed to lead is from lead-based paint. Chipping or peeling lead-based paint creates lead dust. Children can pick up lead dust when they crawl on the floor or put their hands and toys in their mouth. It’s important to wash your child’s toys and hands often, to remove lead dust.Children can also be exposed to lead through contaminated soil or from consumer products such as imported toys, pottery/ceramics, pewter, food, spices, or cosmetics. Adults with certain jobs (construction, house painting, plumbing, auto repair, or jewelry repair) or hobbies (fishing, making or shooting firearms, or making stained glass or pottery) can bring lead into the home on work clothing and shoes.
Exposure to lead from any source can cause serious health effects, especially for young children and pregnant women. Exposure to lead can damage a child’s brain and nervous system. This can cause learning problems, delayed growth, and problems with hearing or speech. Adults exposed to lead can have increased risks of heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney or nervous system problems. Pregnant individuals exposed to lead may experience preterm birth or other pregnancy complications. Lead may pass to the fetus during the pregnancy.
Your child’s family doctor or pediatrician can perform a blood test for lead and provide information about the health effects of lead. The Onondaga County Health Department can also provide information about how you can have your child’s blood tested for lead. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the New York State Department of Health(NYSDOH) agree there is no safe level of lead. Public health action may be needed when the level of lead in a child’s blood is considered elevated. If an elevated result is reported, the Onondaga County Health Department will contact the parent/guardian directly. For more information, call (315) 435-3271, email LeadFreeKids@ongov.net, visit ongov.net/health/lead, or use this link to find out if your child needs a lead test: redcap.link/r8076nak.
Contact the City of Syracuse Water Department for information on your home’s lead service line. Residents can also hire a certified plumber to inspect both the service line and other plumbing materials in your home.
Click here to watch a video and follow the easy tests to see if your home has a lead service line
Preventing lead exposure is important for your family’s health! Fortunately, there are things you can do to protect your family from lead. Follow these tips to help keep your family safe:
The City of Syracuse Water Department currently treats the water with orthophosphate, a food-grade additive deemed safe for consumption by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Orthophosphate is also recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as an effective additive in water to reduce lead levels by creating a coating inside of lead service lines, creating a barrier between the lead pipes and the water.The City of Syracuse continues to perform lead and water quality monitoring of our water system supply. We have also been actively removing lead service lines as they are encountered in project areas. The City of Syracuse Water Department is also creating an inventory of all service lines in the water system. A public facing portal will be created in the coming months where residents will be able to search if they have a lead water service line in their home.
The City of Syracuse Water Department conducts water sampling at residential properties every six months. If you are interested in volunteering for this testing, please call the City at (315) 448-8360. Alternatively, customers may arrange for their water to be tested by calling Life Science Laboratories, Inc. at (315) 445-1105.
Download Lead FAQs Here(PDF, 3MB)