2025 Lead and Copper Monitoring Program
Every three years York Water conducts a Lead and Copper Monitoring Program where we sample water from homes to ensure we are compliant with our responsibilities to provide our customers with the finest quality product and customer service.
This page provides additional information for those participating in the program.
Beginning in June, York Water teams will begin the collection of samples. The process is quite simple. A sample bottle with instructions will be delivered to the participant’s home, along with instructions on how to collect the sample. Once the participant has collected the sample it will be collected the following morning by a member of the York Water team.
Once the analysis is complete, and the results have been received from the laboratory, York Water will also send a copy of the results to the participants home. This is a voluntary program and there is no cost to the participant.
Questions, concerns, or additional information regarding the 2025 Lead and Copper Monitoring Program, can be directed to our dedicated Lead and Copper Sampling line at 717-845-3603 or customer.service@yorkwater.com.
Instructions for the day of sample collection
IMPORTANT: Water in the home must NOT be used for 6 hours prior to collecting the sample. Collection times should be planned accordingly. Also important is to share on the form included with the sample bottles the following:
- any repairs or replacement of fixtures or other components of your home’s plumbing that has been done in the past 3 years or
- if your home has a water softener or filter installed.
Step by step instructions:
- Identify a suitable sample location. Select the kitchen (or bathroom) cold-water faucet that you use regularly fordrinking or Please notify the York Water team if you have a water softener or a filter as these devices will impact your results.
- After allowing the water in the home to sit unused for at least 6 hours, fill the sample bottle from the cold water tap as you would fill a glass of water, up to the marked REMINDER: Do not run any water to the drain prior to filling the bottle.
- Place the bottle with the provided form in the plastic bag that was provided and set it outside your front door for pickup by a member of the York Water team.
Results from the sampling will be provided to the participants upon receipt. If excessive lead or copper levels are found, immediate notification will be provided to along with guidance and support on how to mitigate the exposure.
Lead can cause serious health problems if too much enters your body from drinking water or other sources. It can cause damage to the brain and kidneys, and can interfere with the production of red blood cells that carry oxygen to all parts of your body. The greatest risk of lead exposure is to infants, young children and pregnant women. Scientists have linked the effects of lead on the brain with lowered IQ in children. Adults with kidney problems and high blood pressure can be affected by low levels of lead more than healthy adults. Lead is stored in the bones and it can be released later in life. During pregnancy, the child receives lead from the mother’s bones, which may affect brain development.
Copper is an essential nutrient, but some people who drink water containing copper in excess of the action level over a relatively short amount of time could experience gastrointestinal distress. Some people who drink water containing copper inexcess of the action level over many years could suffer liver or kidney damage. People with Wilson’s disease (a genetic enzymatic disorder) should consult their personal doctor.
Lead and copper in drinking water most often come from water distribution lines or household plumbing rather than from thewater system source. Plumbing sources can include lead pipes, copper pipes, lead solder, faucets, valves, and other components made of brass. Lead from other sources (such as lead-based paint and contaminated dust or soil) can increase a person’s overall exposure, which adds to the effects of lead in water. Copper from plumbing corrosion can accumulate in the water very quickly, even overnight.
The York Water Company has optimized its corrosion control treatment to help keep lead and copper corrosion to a minimum within its distribution system and your internal plumbing.
Steps you can take to reduce your exposure to lead in your drinking water:
- Run your water to flush out lead. To reduce your exposure to lead in drinking water, we suggest you follow the 6-3-3 rule. If your water has not been used for 6 hours, flush your tap for 3 minutes, about 3 gallons of water, before consuming. This flushing will greatly reduce any lead that may have accumulated in your pipes, as evidenced by the above results.
- Use cold water for cooking and preparing baby formula.
- Do not boil water to remove lead.
- Identify if your plumbing fixtures or service line contains lead.
York Water is committed to reducing our community’s exposure to lead. Over the years we have replaced many company-owned lead service lines. Between 2017 and 2018 the Company replaced over 1,600 Company-owned lead service lines and has replaced all known lead service lines to date. Based upon the age of your home, you are not served by a company-owned or customer-owned lead service line. Your greatest exposure to lead in your water may be from lead solder and lead which may leach from plumbing fixtures in your home.
For more information on reducing exposure to lead in drinking water, please visit our website at www.yorkwater.com. Additional information is also available by visiting EPA’s website at www.epa.gov/lead, by contacting the National LeadInformation Center at 800-424-LEAD, or contacting your health care provider.
