Is Your Tacoma Home Affected by Lead?

Recent tests found lead present in Tacoma’s city water system. Initially, it was thought that the lead affected only a small number of homes, but the city is now concerned that it may impact hundreds or even thousands.

The first signs of lead were found in a handful of homes near Lincoln High School—homes that use lead gooseneck water pipes. Luckily, none of the schools in the Tacoma School District have lead gooseneck pipe connections. However, in late April, Tacoma Water announced that there could be up to 1,700 of these pipes in use throughout the area. Detailed water quality tests for the area’s homes and businesses are now underway.

Lead gooseneck pipes are used to funnel water from a main water source into a home or business’s water meter. Many of these pipes are over 100 years old, and were likely installed between the years 1900 and 1940. Over the last several decades, Tacoma Water has removed approximately 30,000 lead gooseneck pipes from use, but unfortunately, due to inconsistent tracking, some still remain.

Do you live in an affected home? You can learn more about possible gooseneck pipe locations and see a map of the affected areas here.