2016 Hayward Lead Sampling Completed

In 1991, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a regulation known as the Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) to control lead and copper in drinking water.  The LCR requires water agencies to test for lead at customer taps every three years.  If lead concentrations exceed an Action Level of 15 parts per billion in more than 10 percent of customer taps sampled, the agency must take action to reduce corrosion of lead within the distribution system.  Since the regulation’s inception in 1991, Hayward has always been below the Action Level threshold for lead. The most recent round of lead sampling in Hayward was undertaken in 2016 and the overall results were well below the Action Level.

Older homes are more likely to have lead material in plumbing fixtures and piping. The City recommends that property owners get their water tested if they have any concerns about their internal plumbing. Read more about the EPA’s recommendations here. For questions regarding Hayward’s water quality, visit www.hayward-ca.gov/waterquality or call 510.583.4700.

Lead in the Environment

Alameda County's Healthy Homes Department provides services to prevent lead poisoning and to promote health and safety in the home. They have found that the most common sources of lead in Alameda County homes are paint and soil, not tap water. While lead-based paint for residential use was banned in 1978, many homes built before that year have old layers of lead-based paint, which can chip or create dust. The Healthy Homes Department offers resources and lead hazard repair grants to qualifying homeowners. You can also call 211 for access to housing, health and human services.

According to a recent Reuters report, the Center for Disease Control estimates that approximately 2.5% of children ages 0-6 have elevated lead levels nationwide. Out of 500 children tested in Hayward, 1.63% had elevated lead levels.  We encourage any person with concerns about the health-related effects of lead exposure to also seek advice from their health care provider.