HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. – Hillsborough County is taking proactive steps to ensure the safety of its drinking water by launching a new online tool to help residents identify potential lead plumbing systems. This initiative comes as part of the county’s expanded lead and copper program, responding to new requirements from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The new tool allows residents and water customers to look up their service lines and view testing information. The resource is available at HCFL.gov/LeadAndCopper.
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The move comes as the EPA’s Lead and Copper Rule mandates that all community drinking water systems regularly test high-risk homes for lead at the tap. Hillsborough County already conducts regular testing throughout its water service area, adhering to federal and state water quality monitoring rules enforced by the Florida Department of Health and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP).
While Hillsborough County tests drinking water for lead before it leaves treatment plants, lead found in tap water typically originates from underground pipes, plumbing, solder, and fixtures in older buildings. Lead and copper are also naturally occurring metals.
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Lead pipes were federally banned in the late 1980s. Hillsborough County amended its building codes on May 1, 1980, to remove lead as an approved plumbing material. As a result, properties built after 1982 are unlikely to have lead service lines.
The county encourages residents to utilize the new online tool and learn more about their water service lines.
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