Every year Chelan County PUD issues a water quality report as required by state law. Links to those reports can be found below.
We also conduct lead tests of the PUD water system every three years. Samples are taken directly from customer homes to ensure that any potential for lead or copper in the domestic water system is fully tested. The Chelan PUD-operated water system does not use lead piping. Old water systems in other locations of the country likely have lead pipes, in some cases made from pure lead. Some brass fittings for pipe connections and meters also may have very low concentrations of lead, but since 2014, those fittings are made lead-free.
Another benefit of the Chelan PUD water system is that our water source is non-corrosive, reducing the risks of lead presence due to flaking from pipes or fittings.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set 15 parts per billion (ppb) as the maximum level for lead presence in domestic water sources. Levels above this amount require action for public health reasons. In testing conducted by the PUD, the levels are below 1 ppb. The highest sample ever recorded was 4 ppb and was an isolated case.
Often, the most likely source of lead in the water can be from the piping in the home itself. If you want to learn more about lead in water, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have some good information here. You also can have your own pipes tested for the presence of lead.