Lead & Copper Rule – Drinking Water

Lead and copper enter drinking water primarily through plumbing materials.

In 1991 EPA published the Lead and Copper Rule to minimize lead and copper in drinking water.
In 2000, EPA published revisions to the Lead and Copper rule to address implementation problems and issues arising from the 1991 Rule.
In 2004, EPA published minor corrections to the Lead and Copper Rule to reinstate text that was inadvertently dropped from the rule during the 2000 revisions.
In 2007, EPA published Short-term regulatory revisions and clarifications to strengthen the rule in the following areas: monitoring, treatment processes, public education, customer awareness, and lead service line replacement.
In 2021, EPA published Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR), providing protections for children and communities from the risks of lead exposure by better protecting children at schools and child care facilities, identifying lead service lines, and empowering communities through information.
In 2024, EPA published the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI), providing enhanced protection for communities from exposure to lead in drinking water. The LCRI requires more rigorous testing of drinking water and a lower threshold requiring communities to take action to protect people from lead exposure in water. In addition, the rule improves communication so that families are better informed about the risk of lead in drinking water.

Last Updated: May 13, 2025