PALATINE Lead Service Line Inventory

What you need to know

Palatine serves about 70,875 residents in Illinois. Like most U.S. water systems, Palatine is required by federal law to locate and track lead service lines—the pipes that connect the water main to homes.

Where Palatine stands: The utility has not yet completed an inventory of lead service lines. This is common; many systems across the country are still in the early stages of mapping their pipes.

Why this matters

A lead service line can leach lead into your drinking water, especially if the water is corrosive or if the line is old and damaged. Lead exposure, even at low levels, poses real risks—particularly for young children and pregnant women. The only way to know if your home has a lead service line is through a direct check or a completed utility inventory.

What Palatine is doing

Federal law requires all water utilities to complete lead service line inventories by October 2024. Palatine is subject to these rules. If you don't see a finished inventory listed here, the utility is likely still conducting fieldwork, reviewing records, or compiling data.

In 2021, Congress passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which allocated billions in grants to help utilities replace lead service lines. Palatine may be eligible for this federal funding as it develops its replacement plan.

How to find out if your home has a lead service line

1. Contact Palatine directly. Call their water department or check their website for information about your specific address. They may have records even if the full inventory isn't public yet. 2. Check property records or your home inspection. Some older records note the pipe material. 3. Request a water quality test. A simple test can detect lead in your tap water, though it doesn't directly identify the service line.

What you can do now

If you're concerned about lead, you don't have to wait for the inventory. The CDC recommends flushing your tap for 30 seconds before drinking or cooking, and using cold water (not hot, which leaches more lead). If you have young children or are pregnant, consider using bottled water for drinking and cooking until you know more about your home's pipes.

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Next steps for residents

• Call Palatine water department and ask if they have information about your service line material
• Request results of any lead tests they've conducted at your address
• Report any updates you find to LeadPipeLookup so other residents benefit
• Consult the CDC at cdc.gov/lead for health guidance specific to your situation

```json [ { "q": "Does Palatine have lead in the water?", "a": "Palatine's inventory is not yet complete, so we don't have a full picture of lead service lines in the system. Lead in water depends on whether your home has a lead service line and your water's corrosivity. Contact Palatine directly to learn about your address." }, { "q": "How do I know if my house has a lead service line?", "a": "Call Palatine's water department and ask about your service line material. They may have records. You can also hire a plumber to inspect the pipe where it enters your home, or request a free or low-cost water test." }, { "q": "Is it safe to drink tap water in Palatine?", "a": "Palatine's tap water meets federal safety standards. If you want extra assurance, flush your tap for 30 seconds before drinking, use cold water (not hot), and consider testing. If you have young children or are pregnant, talk to your doctor or check the CDC website for guidance." }, { "q": "When will Palatine finish its lead service line inventory?", "a": "Federal law requires completion by October 2024. If you don't see results yet, contact Palatine to ask about their timeline and