Lead and copper enter drinking water primarily through plumbing materials. Water systems are required to collect lead and copper samples at customer taps. If more than 10% of samples collected are above the limits for lead and copper set by the EPA, the system must undertake a number of additional actions to control corrosion.
Water system deadlines
Sept. 30, 2026 – Routine lead and copper samples are due for some water systems. You can check your monitoring schedules at waterlink.utah.gov
Nov. 1, 2027 – Submit via email the list of schools and child care centers served by your water system. More information on EPA’s website
Routine sampling
Lead and copper samples must be collected and submitted to the Division according to your system’s monitoring schedule (find it at WaterLink.utah.gov) and Sample Site Plan.
How to collect samples
- List of Certified Lead and Copper Labs in Utah
- Sampling Procedure Guidance for Homeowners
- Sampling Procedure Guidance for Homeowners (Spanish)
Monitoring schedules for water systems
There are two types of monitoring schedules for lead and copper testing. Find your system’s Lead & Copper (LCR) monitoring schedule at waterlink.utah.gov.
Standard monitoring
Samples are taken every six months. After two rounds of standard monitoring a system may qualify for a reduced monitoring schedule.
Reduced monitoring
Samples are taken either yearly or every three years. Systems may be returned to a standard monitoring schedule due to a lead or copper action level exceedance or if a new source or treatment is added which may cause a change to the system’s water chemistry.
Sampling season–When should you collect lead and copper samples?
For reduced schedules (yearly and 3 year)
June 1 to September 30
For standard schedules (six month)
January 1 to June 30 and July 1 to December 31
Reporting results
In order for lead and copper results to be used for compliance, you must use an approved laboratory. Most labs will submit results to us for you. This is the preferred method. Just select this option on the lab’s chain of custody form.
There is no need to email, fax, or mail your results to us when this option is used. Simply retain a copy of the results for your own records. Results may also be submitted to [email protected].
Schools & childcare sampling requirements
Under the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI), all water systems who serve schools and licensed child care centers will have new public education and sampling requirements.
Upcoming new requirements
- Starting in 2028, water systems will have 5 years to sample all elementary schools and child care centers for lead (see all upcoming lead and copper rule deadlines).
- Facilities which participated in our Lead-Free Learning program will be exempted from this requirement.
Reaching out to child care centers
We highly recommend water systems reach out to the child care centers they serve who have not yet sampled, and encourage them to sign up for our Lead-Free Learning program and take advantage of this funding while it lasts. We can pay for sampling and new taps or filters if high results are found. You can use this outreach template for that letter.
- View sample data for schools and child care centers which participated in Utah’s Lead-Free Learning program.
- Before November 1, 2027, water systems are required to send a list of their schools and child care centers to the Division at [email protected].
Understanding your results
Learn how to evaluate lead and copper results, do your 90th percentile calculation, and take follow-up samples.
Make sense of your lead and copper sample results
Calculating compliance
Sample results are evaluated against an action level. The lead action level is exceeded if the concentration in more than 10% of samples is greater than 0.015 mg/L. The copper action level is exceeded if the concentration in more than 10% of samples is greater than 1.3 mg/L. The 90th percentile is automatically calculated in our database, so you do not need to send your calculations to us.
Download the summary sheet and 90th percentile calculator (Excel)
If your lead or copper 90th percentile result exceeds the action level, contact us immediately.
How to take follow-up samples
Follow-up samples are highly recommended when initial testing results are above .013 mg/L for lead and 1.2 mg/L for copper. Follow-up sampling helps to confirm the presence of elevated lead or copper concentrations and gives information on the location of the possible source of contamination. Follow-up sampling consists of one or more repeat first draw samples, a flush sample, and a sample taken from the meter.
How to submit follow-up results to the lab
Follow-up samples should be labeled as confirmation samples (CO) as opposed to routine to not get mixed up with normal compliance samples. Additionally, in the comments section of the chain of custody form, each sample should be labeled as either First Draw, Flush, or Meter.
Corrosion control
Systems who exceed the action level for lead or copper may be required to do a corrosion control study and introduce new treatment into their system to prevent lead and copper from leaching into the water.
Doing a corrosion control study
A confirmed 90th percentile exceedance or a history of high results may require a system to create a corrosion control program. This is a ten step process in which the water system and the Division work together to develop an individualized corrosion solution. The table below is an overview of the implementation process for the systems serving a population of less than 50,000. A similar process exists for larger systems.
More corrosion information: Optimal Corrosion Control Treatment Evaluation Technical Recommendations for Primacy Agencies and Public Water Systems
Consumer & public notification
Help residents understand their lead and copper results and teach them the best practices for reducing exposure.
Reaching out to your community
Customer Notification form
Each time a lead and copper sample is taken, the consumer must be notified of the results, even if the concentrations are low. Do this by downloading the Consumer Notification Form, filling out the results portion, and delivering the results to the consumer. In the case of the non-single family residence structure, meet the requirement by sending out or posting the results in a public space such as a bulletin board.
Certification of Notice form
Once customers have been notified of sampling results, you must submit a Certificate of Notice Form to us. You have until 90 days after the end of your compliance period to send us this certificate.
Certificate of Notice Form (preferred)
24-Hour Public Notice Requirement
If a water system exceeds the action level for lead, they are required to issue a public notice within 24 hours.
Issuing a tier 1 public notice
New requirements for a lead action level exceedance
- Contact us immediately to report the exceedance. Contact our lead and copper rule manager, Dylan Martinez, at (385) 278-3807 or [email protected] or the Division Front Desk at (801) 536-4200 or [email protected] .
- Issue the public notice to customers within 24 hours after you learn about the lead exceedance. The requirements are listed below in the table.
- Send us a copy of the notice at [email protected]
Send a copy of the notice to the EPA at [email protected]. - Within 10 days of issuing the public notice, certify via online form that the notice met all requirements
Requirements for the notice
24 Hour Public Notice after a lead Action Level Exceedance (ALE) must include:
- What happened – You exceeded the lead action level.
- When the lead Action Level Exceedance (ALE) occurred.
- The mandatory health effects language: Exposure to lead in drinking water can cause serious health effects in all age groups. Infants and children can have decreases in IQ and attention span. Lead exposure can lead to new learning and behavior problems or exacerbate existing learning and behavior problems. The children of women who are exposed to lead before or during pregnancy can have increased risk of these adverse health effects. Adults can have increased risks of heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney, or nervous system problems.
- Whether alternative water supplies should be used.
- What actions consumers should take.
- What you are doing to address the lead Action Level Exceedance (ALE).
- When you expect to resolve the lead Action Level Exceedance (ALE).
- Contact information for your water system owner, operator, or designee.
Mandatory statement to share the public notice
“Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.”
Delivery methods
Water systems must use one or more Direct Contact and one or more Broadcast delivery methods in the below table to notify consumers. We may select the delivery method required based on public health risk.
| Direct Contact | Broadcast |
|---|---|
| Television | |
Phone Calls (automated or personal) | Social Media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.) |
Text Messages | Posting on Water System Website |
Hand or direct delivery | Posting in conspicuous locations throughout the water system |
Press Release |
If you have any questions about this requirement, or about the Lead and Copper Rule Revision (LCRR), please contact Dylan Martinez at (385) 278-3807 or [email protected]
Consumer Confidence Reports
In the yearly Consumer Confidence Report (CCR), every community system must report the total number of lead and copper samples taken, the most recent 90th percentile value for lead and copper, and the number of sampling sites exceeding the action level. Systems are now also required to include information about their service line inventories (see all upcoming lead and copper rule deadlines).
NEW LCRR LANGUAGE – Required for 2025 CCR
Community systems: copy this language into your CCR and fill in the brackets with your information:
Service line inventories
[PWS name] has completed an initial lead service line inventory. This inventory includes information on the service line material that connects water mains to buildings/houses. This inventory can be accessed at [link for inventories that are available online (if PWS serves a population greater than 50,000) or instructions on how to access the publicly available service line inventory (if PWS serves a population less than 50,000)].
Results of lead and copper samples collected that year
[Number of samples] lead samples were collected during [sampling period]. Sampling results can be obtained by calling [phone number] or emailing [email]. Optional – You may also obtain the results by visiting [web link].
Updated mandatory health effects language
Lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. [NAME OF UTILITY] is responsible for providing high quality drinking water and removing lead pipes, but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components in your home. You share the responsibility for protecting yourself and your family from the lead in your home plumbing. You can take responsibility by identifying and removing lead materials within your home plumbing and taking steps to reduce your family’s risk. Before drinking tap water, flush your pipes for several minutes by running your tap, taking a shower, doing laundry or a load of dishes. You can also use a filter certified by an American National Standards Institute accredited certifier to reduce lead in drinking water. If you are concerned about lead in your water and wish to have your water tested, contact [NAME OF UTILITY and CONTACT INFORMATION]. Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.
For systems which do corrosion control treatment
Corrosion of pipes, plumbing fittings and fixtures may cause lead and copper to enter drinking water. To assess corrosion of lead and copper, [name of system] conducts tap sampling for lead and copper at selected sites [insert frequency at which system conducts tap sampling]. [Name of system] treats water using [identify treatment method] to control corrosion, which was designated as the optimal corrosion control treatment by [the state or EPA, as applicable]. To ensure the treatment is operating effectively, [name of system] monitors water quality parameters set by the [state or EPA, as applicable] [insert frequency at which system conducts water quality parameter monitoring].
Recommended CCR Language Updates
For non-lead water systems: [PWS name] determined that all service lines are non-lead.
For all other water systems: [PWS name] found [number of service lines] lead service lines, [number of service lines] galvanized lines that require replacement. [PWS name] also has [number of service lines] unknown service lines that need to be determined.
Sample site plan
All community and non-transient non-community public water systems are required to have and maintain an approved LCR Sample Site Plan. The Division has created an easy to use template that can be used and submitted through a WaterLink portal account.
How to create a LCR Sample Site Plan
How to create a lead and copper sample site plan
- Make a copy of the Google Sheet template and fill it out.
- Alternatively, download the template and fill it out using Excel.
These samples are intended to be a measure of how the water in the system interacts with lead and copper plumbing components, so the highest priority sites are those that have both lead and copper in the premise plumbing. Use the tiering criteria on the Materials Worksheet page to select your sample sites. The Intro tab has recommendations on methods for determining which buildings in the system meet the highest tiering criteria.
Once you have completed the materials worksheet, email it to [email protected].
If you have any questions about the sample site plan template, please contact the Lead and Copper Rule Manager, Dylan Martinez at [email protected] or (385) 278-3807.
FAQs
What if I completed my service line inventory and everything was non-lead. Do I still need to sample for lead?
Yes, service lines are just one of many plumbing components that can contribute to lead release in drinking water. Goosenecks, plumbing and solder within buildings, and faucets themselves can lead to high lead levels.
When does the 24 hour clock start for the public notice for a lead action level exceedance?
The clock starts when the water system learns of the action level exceedance. This could be when the system does their 90th percentile calculation or when the Division does the calculation and notifies the water system.
Is a lead or copper action level exceedance a violation?
No, having a lead or copper exceedance does not result in a violation. A water system will only receive a violation if they do not complete the required follow up actions associated with a lead or copper exceedance.
When do I need to submit a sample site plan?
You do not need to submit to DDW your sample site plan each time you sample for lead and copper. It only needs to be submitted when you make a change to the sample site plan.
How do I submit my sample site plan?
It can be downloaded and emailed as an attachment to [email protected]
How do I determine what sites to sample from?
Use the tiering criteria on the materials worksheet of the sample site plan.
Forms
Looking for a specific form or handout? We’ve compiled them all here.
Questions?
Dylan Martinez
[email protected]
(385) 278-3807