How is the water in Southlake tested for lead and copper?
Southlake water is tested for lead and copper using the precise protocol outlined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). This protocol is designed to test for lead and copper under the worst conditions possible. For instance, lead and copper samples are collected from “first draw” samples, meaning the water has been in contact with a customer’s plumbing for at least six hours without disruption and will be the first water drawn in the morning. Since water can dissolve metals into the water through a process known as leaching, drawing the first water from a faucet in the morning should provide the worst conditions possible for lead and copper leaching. Additionally, since water can become more corrosive the warmer it becomes, samples must be taken during the summer months.

Southlake collects and tests 30 routine samples once every year for lead and copper as required by the TCEQ. Southlake then follows chain of custody protocol to deliver the samples to an approved, accredited testing laboratory.

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1. Where does lead and copper found in drinking water come from?
2. How does lead and copper from pipes get into my drinking water?
3. Why is lead and copper testing important?
4. Does my home contain lead and copper?
5. Is there anything I can do to protect myself from high levels of lead or copper dissolved from my own plumbing?
6. How is the water in Southlake tested for lead and copper?
7. How were the sample sites for Southlake testing selected?
8. How can I access the results of lead and copper testing in Southlake?
9. Can I have my home tested for lead and copper?
10. What have Southlake’s lead and copper test results indicated about our water?