Meeting the Lead Standard
Water providers like the Philadelphia Water Department are required by law to test at least 50 "Tier 1" homes, defined by the EPA as homes with lead services lines or lead solder installed after 1982, every three years. This testing is designed to ensure that corrosion control treatment is working.
To date, BLS experts have tested for lead levels in accordance with the requirements of the federal Lead and Copper Rule, issued in June 1991, for nearly a quarter century. The most recent Lead and Copper Rule tests were conducted at 134 homes during 2014, and Philadelphia Water was found to be in compliance with EPA's standards.