Austin, TX
Lead
Austin is fortunate to have very low levels of lead in drinking water compared to other parts of the country. Our source waters of Lake Austin and Lake Travis contain no lead, and there is no lead in Austin’s treated drinking water.
Austin Water’s lime softening treatment process, in use since the 1920s, produces non-corrosive, scale-forming water that creates a protective coating on the inside of pipes. This prevents materials such as lead and copper from leaching into the water. More than 30 years before federal bans took effect, Austin also enacted local rules prohibiting lead in plumbing. When lead is occasionally detected at the tap, it is almost always due to contamination from private plumbing or fixtures.
In October 2024, Austin Water completed field investigations of all water service lines in the system. There are no lead service lines in Austin Water’s distribution system.