Frequently Asked Questions

Lead is a naturally occurring element found in small amounts in the earth’s crust. While it has some beneficial uses, like its pliability and resistance to leaks which were useful in plumbing, it can be toxic to humans and animals.  

The most common source of lead exposure is from paint in homes and buildings built before 1978, before lead-based paints were banned for use in housing. Although the main sources of exposure to lead are ingesting paint chips and inhaling dust, lead also can be found in some household plumbing materials and some water service lines.  

Lead can enter drinking water when plumbing materials that contain lead corrode or wear away. In homes with lead service lines, the most common exposure to lead in water is those pipes. In homes without lead service lines, the most common exposure to lead is with fixtures that contain lead and plumbing with lead solder.  

Lead is harmful to human health even at low exposure levels. There is no safe exposure to lead, especially for children. While everyone can be affected by lead, children under 6 and pregnant women are most vulnerable. For more information about the health effects of lead in drinking water, visit www.epa.gov/lead/learn-about-lead

Yes. The Village performs regular testing for lead throughout the distribution system, as required by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA). No lead contaminant level violations were recorded during the last Water Quality test. The results are posted within the Village’s Annual Water Quality report, which can be viewed here. 

Both the Safe Drinking Water Act (1974) and Lead and Copper Rule (1991) implemented restrictions to control lead in drinking water. In Illinois, the Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act (LSLRNA) went into effect January 2022. The LSLRNA requires all communities to identify all lead service lines then to make a replacement plan. The Village of Flossmoor is committed to meeting the requirements of the LSLRNA and has submitted an Initial Lead Service Line Replacement Plan to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.  

One of the main causes of the Flint, Mich., crisis was the sudden change in source water and insufficient water quality monitoring. The Village of Flossmoor has a stable supply of Lake Michigan water sourced through Hammond, Ind., that is treated and monitored daily for water quality.

For information on lead in drinking water and steps you can take to minimize exposure, call the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791 or visit www.epa.gov/safewater/lead. For more information regarding sources of lead and health effects of lead exposure, visit the CDC at cdc.gov/nceh/lead. For local water quality information, view the Village of Flossmoor’s Annual Water Quality Report posted here.