Although recent water testing confirms there’s no lead in the city of Asheville’s water supply, if you live in a home built before the mid-1980s, you can lower possible risks by flushing your pipes for at least 30 seconds, officials said Monday.
At a Monday news briefing, City of Asheville Water Resources spokesperson Clay Chandler unveiled the results of the first round of lead testing from November.
The briefing comes amid heightened concerns about lead levels in water, as the damage from Hurricane Helene temporarily prevented the city from treating its water supply with chemicals that it typically uses to prevent corrosion in pipes. Without municipal treatment, older homes with lead pipes are more susceptible to lead exposure in drinking water.
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Flushing the pipes — turning on faucets to run simultaneously, starting on the lowest level of your home — generally clears standing water that may have collected traces of lead from plumbing components.
The city tested water samples from 159 private homes in mid-to-late November, Chandler said.
“After flushing for 30 seconds, out of 159 samples taken, zero had detectable levels of lead,” he said.
The amount of lead was higher in water samples taken from faucets that had not been flushed.
Of the 159 homes where samples were taken, nine had detectable levels of lead on the “first draw” – a term meaning that water was drawn from the faucet after sitting in the pipe for a minimum of six hours. Only 3 of the 9 homes showed a level of lead in drinking water that met or exceeded the amount that regulations deem too high.
The risk of lead leaching into water through pipes is greatest in homes that were built before the mid-1980s.
Anytime water has been sitting in pipes for six hours or longer, residents should leave their faucets running for 30 seconds before drinking, city officials say.
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In 2021, the City of Asheville upped its tap water testing in homes, schools and daycares after the Environmental Protection Agency strengthened regulations for eliminating lead from drinking water.
As of Monday morning, the City of Asheville has received more than 6,600 requests for lead testing, Chandler said. Test results are usually available after two or three weeks, but that window has now stretched to up to six weeks due to increased demand.
Testing in city and county schools is being prioritized, he added.
Residents who are on City of Asheville water can request a free lead testing kit here.
Helen Chickering contributed to this report.
