Salt Lake City just received big money from the federal government to replace lead pipes in our drinking water system. Whether you’re new to the Salt Lake Valley or a longtime resident, you might be wondering: Just how safe is our drinking water? We asked an expert to help us bust some murky myths.
Are We Drinking Lead?
Let’s clear this up right away: Salt Lake’s drinking water is lead-free, according to Salt Lake City Public Utilities Director Laura Briefer. She said none of the main water lines in the system, which covers the east side of the valley, are made of lead.
However, Salt Lake City is looking at buildings constructed before 1986, when the Safe Drinking Water Act banned lead, to determine what pipes need to be replaced. It’s part of a national effort to replace every lead service line over the next 10 years.
We can confidently say we do not have lead in our drinking water.
Laura Briefer, SLC Public Utilities Director
Water Quality
The city tests for more than 90 contaminants per the Environmental Protection Agency’s standards, and Briefer said our water quality always passes with flying colors. Plus, we’ve got a good source — that sweet surface water from the Wasatch Mountains. Because our water is full of minerals, it coats pipes with a protective crust, so contaminants don’t leach into your water.
Still, Briefer said it’s important to remove our lead service lines “once and for all,” and you can help the city in that effort! Learn more about locating and testing your service line, and take SLC Public Utilities’ survey to help them identify homes that could be impacted.
What’s your service line made of? (Salt Lake City Public Utilities)
To Filter or Not To Filter?
As far as public health goes, Briefer said there’s no need to filter your water. The water coming out of your tap within the Salt Lake City Public Utilities system is safe to drink from the get-go. But if it makes you happy (for aesthetic or flavor purposes), filter on. Sip, sip, hooray!
