Lead pipes in the home

Check if your home still has lead pipes

Lead water pipes are most commonly found in homes built before 1960. According to the GGD, homes built after 1960 do not have lead drinking water pipes.

You can identify a lead pipe by the following characteristics, among others:

• a gray color;
• an irregular or bumpy shape;
• the lack of connectors;
• a dull sound when you gently tap the pipe.

For example, you can check the pipes near the water meter. Not all pipes in a home are visible. If you’re unsure whether there are lead pipes in your home, have an expert inspect them.

What can you do if you have lead pipes?

Do you have lead water pipes in your home? If so, have them replaced as soon as possible. This is the best way to prevent lead from entering your drinking water through the pipes.

Until the pipes have been replaced, the GGD advises against drinking the water from these pipes. Also, do not use the water to prepare food or beverages, such as coffee, tea, soup, or baby formula.

For this purpose, use bottled water, for example, or tap water that you know for certain is not connected to lead pipes.

This advice is especially important for:

• babies who are bottle-fed;
• children up to and including age 7;
• pregnant women;
• women who want to get pregnant.

Are you a tenant?

Are you renting a home and suspect there may be lead pipes? If so, contact your landlord or housing authority. The landlord is responsible for ensuring that the rental property is safe and healthy.