Free Shipping on Orders of $100 or More
Free Shipping on Orders of $100 or More
$45.00
Our lead water test measures lead in your drinking water in parts per billion. Lead has no taste, color, or smell, and it usually comes from pipes, solder, and brass fixtures inside your home rather than from the water source itself. It suits families in homes plumbed before 1986, households with infants or young children, private well owners, and buyers checking a home before closing.
Lead usually enters water inside your own home, so a utility report cannot tell you what comes out of your tap. A result from your faucet answers that directly. It is the clearest starting point when infants or young children drink the water.
Lead is a metal that gets into water as plumbing corrodes, so it usually comes from your pipes and fixtures rather than from the water source.
Here are the usual sources of lead in drinking water:
Soft or acidic water speeds up that corrosion. The EPA lead in drinking water page explains the health effects, and children absorb lead more readily than adults.
The age of your plumbing is the fastest clue. A lead water test is a good fit if your home was built or replumbed before 1986, or if you are not sure what your service line is made of.
It is also worth ordering when infants or young children drink from your tap, when someone in the house is pregnant, or when you mix baby formula with tap water.
City water customers order it too, because lead usually enters from the service line and plumbing at your own house. Private well owners with older pumps, and buyers doing checks before closing, round out the list.
Orders of $100 or more ship free, and orders under $100 ship for an $8 flat rate. Every kit comes with a prepaid return label, so sending your sample back costs nothing extra.
Lead samples keep well during transit, so you can mail the box on any day of the week.
We analyze your sample in our accredited lab, using established testing methods and quality controls.
We have tested water since 1995.
Every test includes a free consultation with one of our water experts. We go over your results with you, explain what the numbers mean for your home, and help you decide on the appropriate next step, including any filtration approach.
Ships free to your door
Takes under 5 minutes
Free return shipping
Expert Consultation
Ships free to your door
Takes under 5 minutes
Free return shipping
Expert Consultation
Every test comes with step-by-step instructions on how to prepare your water source, collect your water sample, and prepare your sample for return shipment to our lab.
The appropriate sample containers are provided with sterility and sample volume requirements taken into consideration.
A short form to fill out with basic information about your water source. This helps our lab technicians process your results accurately.
A pre-paid return shipping label is included — just drop the sealed package in any mailbox or hand it to your mail carrier. No extra cost.
“The test was simple—collect a water sample from a faucet in the home. We sent the test to the lab and received a water quality analysis within a few days. The test included analysis of the water sample for the presence of: coliform bacteria, E. coli, iron, lead, pH, turbidity, and nitrates/nitrites.”
Taylor L.
“Incredible lab, they really care about their customers. As someone who doesn’t know a whole lot about water quality, they took their time to help me understand everything about my water quality situation.”
Brad R.
“I’ve used ETR for several tests, both water and air. The test kits are easy to understand and the reports are very comprehensive. But what really makes them stand out is their quality of service. There is a lot of terminology in these reports that I don’t understand, but their staff is very knowledgeable and always available to assist. They really take their time to review the results with you on the phone, and answer any questions you may have.”
John T.
4.8
Average Rating
across all platforms
500K+
Water Tests Sold
nationwide since 1995
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Reviews on Angi
verified homeowner reviews
We run every test inside our own lab in Leominster, Massachusetts. Your results come straight from us, not a subcontractor. That keeps our pricing fair and our quality consistent across every kit we send out.
Most labs stop at handing you a report. We do not. Every result comes with a free call to one of our water quality experts, so you understand what your numbers mean and what to do next.
ETR Laboratories has run water tests for over 30 years. We hold membership in the national Water Quality Association and the Massachusetts Ground Water Association.
Our reviews reflect the work we do. We hold a 4.8 out of 5 rating on Google, a 4.8 out of 5 rating on Angi from 342 reviews, and five-star ratings on Trustpilot.
Our Premium Water Test screens your water for 113 substances in one round, including bacteria, radon, heavy metals, and industrial chemicals, providing homeowners and landlords with a thorough assessment for peace of mind. We have run…
Yes. No safe level of lead has been identified, and children absorb it more readily than adults. In children, exposure is linked to learning and behavior problems. In adults, it is linked to high blood pressure and kidney problems. Effects usually build over time, so a detectable result is a reason to act calmly and quickly rather than to panic. A cold-water filter certified for lead is a common short-term step while you find the source.
The EPA health goal for lead is zero, because no safe level has been identified. The current action level for public water is 15 parts per billion, dropping to 10 ppb in November 2027, but that number triggers utility treatment and is not a safety line. Many families act on any detectable result, especially when children drink the water.
Yes, in most cases. The EPA notes that human skin does not absorb lead from water, so bathing and showering are generally considered safe even when lead is above the action level. The concern is water you swallow. Young children who drink bath water are the one group worth watching.
No. Boiling does not remove lead. As some water evaporates, the lead left behind becomes more concentrated. For drinking and cooking, cold water or a filter certified for lead reduction is the better choice. Hot tap water also tends to carry more lead, so it is best kept out of cooking.
A first test is a good start. A retest every year or two makes sense in homes built before 1986, homes with a lead service line, or any home where a past result showed lead. A new test also helps after plumbing work, a change in your water source, or a new filter install, since each can change what reaches the tap.
The risk is lower, but it is not zero. Faucets and valves installed before 2014 could legally contain more lead than today's rules allow. Replacement fixtures and older brass parts can still add small amounts of lead, so a test gives you a clear answer either way.
Your water utility is the best first place to ask. Under federal rules, utilities had to publish an inventory of service line materials by October 2024, and many now offer searchable maps by address. A licensed plumber can also check the pipe where it enters your home. Even without a lead service line, older solder and brass fixtures can add lead, so a test at your tap answers the question that counts for your family.
It can. Corrosion tends to speed up in warmer water, so lead levels at the tap may run higher in summer than in winter. Changes in your utility's treatment, work on nearby water mains, and long stretches when the water sits unused can also shift the level. A single result is a snapshot of one day. If your first test shows lead, a retest in a different season gives you a fuller picture.
No shared results. Our laboratory holds our clients privacy to the highest regard, your results and information will never be shared. Be aware that state certified laboratories may be required to report your results to various government agencies.