The City is subject to Illinois' Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act (Public Act 102-0613). This act mandates that Bloomington must replace all water service lines throughout the city that are fully or partially composed of lead or galvanized requiring replacement. The City is planning to replace approximately 10,000 lead service lines at an estimated rate of 1,000 per year.

If your service line is fully or partially made of lead, it will eventually be replaced by the City at no additional cost to you. This program will start in 2026, and 1,000 replacements will be completed every year.

Not necessarily. If you live in a building that was built prior to 1987, it is possible that your plumbing fixtures can contain lead or lead solder that was used at the joints of your interior piping. A licensed plumber can help figure out if you have lead material in your indoor plumbing, or you can use an EPA-approved Lead Test Kit. More information on the kits can be found by visiting https://www.epa.gov/lead/lead-test-kits.

Lead service lines are being replaced to protect your personal health and your family’s health. No amount of lead is safe for humans to consume. Young children (under 6 years old), the elderly, and pregnant people can be more affected by lead exposure. Replacement through the City of Bloomington’s program is free to the property owner. www.bloomingtonil.gov/leadservice.

The construction crew will temporarily disturb a small section of your yard or sidewalk (approximately a 4x4 feet area). The crew will immediately restore the area after the replacement is completed and will return for any final restoration needs that include asphalt, concrete, or grass reseeding. No trees will be removed unless first discussed with the property owner. The City will not restore other landscaping, so please move plants and bushes out of the replacement area ahead of time.

The City has an online web portal where you can check, visit www.bloomingtonil.gov/leadservice.

Lead is a natural element found in small amounts in the earth's crust. Lead can enter drinking water when the water touches materials that have lead. These materials can include lead service lines that connect your house to the water main. They can also include lead pipes in your home and parts of your plumbing, including brass faucets and lead solder.

A water service line is a small, buried pipe that brings water from water mains in the streets into homes and other buildings. If any part of the pipe is lead, it can release lead into the building’s water.

The house side of the water service line is owned by the property owner of the address. However, under certain conditions, the City is authorized to replace portions of the service line. Maintenance of interior household plumbing is the exclusive responsibility of the property owner.

Service lines can be made of lead, galvanized steel (which may contain lead), plastic, or copper.

Federal law banned lead service lines in the late 1980s. Homes built after 1987 in Illinois should not have lead service lines.

The City uses corrosion control to prevent lead in pipes from dissolving into drinking water, in compliance with the Lead and Copper Rule.

Lead is most dangerous to young children (under 6 years old), the elderly, and pregnant people. Lead can hurt a child's brain and nervous system and slow down growth and development. People exposed to lead as children can have lifelong difficulties with learning and behavior and may have trouble paying attention. Drinking water is only one source of lead. A person can also be exposed to lead from paint, dust, and contaminated soil. Imported candies, cosmetics, toys, and other products may also contain lead. For more information about health effects of lead visit the EPA’s Basic Information about Lead in Drinking Water page: https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinkingwater/basic-information-about-lead-drinking-water.

When water leaves the City’s water treatment plant, it is lead free. The water mains in the street that transport water from the treatment plant are made mostly of iron and steel and do not add lead to the drinking water. Lead can get into drinking water from the plumbing inside your home or the service line between the street and your home. When water sits in the service line or your home plumbing without being used for several hours, the lead may dissolve into the water. That is why you should flush your lines every morning. Flushing instructions can be found in the next question.

Take the following steps to protect yourself from lead in your water:

1. Flush your service line by running cold water before using it in cooking or drinking. The longer the water sits in the plumbing, the more lead it may have. If the water in the faucet has been sitting for more than 6 hours, run cold water for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using it. Showering and flushing the toilet also help flush your water line.
2. Use cold water. Do not use hot water from the tap for drinking, cooking, or making baby formula as lead dissolves into hot water more easily than cold water. Boiling water does not remove lead from water. It is safe to shower, wash dishes, and do laundry with hot water from the tap. Lead does not affect humans through the skin.
3. Use filters. Consider using a faucet or pitcher filter. Be sure the filter is approved to reduce lead (NSF 53/42-certified): visit https://tinyurl.com/nsf-filter to learn more about water filters.
4. Replace building plumbing that may have lead. Potential lead sources include lead pipes, lead-based solder, and brass fixtures and valves (including faucets).
5. Remove and clean faucet strainers. Every 3 months, remove and clean strainers at the tip of faucets to remove build up.
   
   
   1. Remove the faucet strainers from all taps.
   2. Rinse the faucet strainers.
   3. Run the water without the strainer for 2 to 4 minutes.
   4. Replace faucet strainers.

Your local doctor or health care provider can perform a blood test for lead and give you information about the health effects of lead. You can find out more about how to get your child tested and how to pay for it at the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services Lead Screening website: https://hfs.illinois.gov/medicalproviders/maternalandchildhealth/leadscreening.

Lead was commonly used for water service lines until the mid 1970’s and commonly used in household plumbing fixtures (faucets, valves, sinks, shower heads, hose bibs, etc.) and solder until 1987, when it was banned by the US EPA. From 1987 to 2014, plumbing fixtures could contain up to 8% lead to be categorized as, “Lead free”. After 2014, standards for “Lead free” fixtures allow no more than 0.25% of lead content. Many homes and buildings, especially those built before 1987, may have service lines and/or internal plumbing and fixtures that are made of or contain lead.