If your home in St. Louis is older, the pipes and fixtures that carry water to your kitchen may matter as much as the water itself. Lead is a metal that can enter drinking water from older service lines, solder, brass parts, and some faucets. Finding out whether it is present is a practical first step, and it should come before you decide between a pitcher, a faucet filter, or an under-sink reverse osmosis system.
Start with the age of your home
Many homes in St. Louis neighborhoods were built many decades ago, and some still have service lines or interior plumbing made with materials that are no longer installed. Homes that were remodeled long ago may still have older solder joints or brass fittings. Age alone does not prove anything about your water, but it tells you which checks are worth your time.
Look at what you can see
- Find where the water line enters the house, usually near the water meter or the basement wall. Note the pipe material if you can see it, but do not scratch or cut the pipe to test it.
- Look at the solder joints on visible copper lines. Older solder may contain metals you want to know about.
- Check the kitchen faucet and any exposed brass valve bodies for markings or certification labels, which can help you learn what the part is made of.
- Take photos and notes so you can share them with a lab or a plumber later.
Ask your water utility for records
Your water utility can tell you what it knows about the service line that runs from the main to your home in St. Louis. Ask whether the line is recorded as lead, galvanized, copper, plastic, or unknown. Ask for the most recent water quality report covering your address. Write down the answers, the date, and who gave them to you. If the record is unknown, say so in your notes, because unknown is a reason to test rather than assume.
Test before you decide
A certified laboratory test is the most direct way to learn what is in your tap water. Choose a lab that is accredited for drinking water analysis, and ask for a test that covers lead and copper. Collect the sample exactly as the lab instructs, including how long the water should sit in the pipes before collection and whether they want a first-draw sample, a flushed sample, or both. Sampling instructions differ, so follow the lab's directions rather than a general rule.
What the results mean for filtration
Filters are rated for specific substances, and those ratings are listed on the certification documents for each product. Reverse osmosis is one approach that removes many dissolved substances, but the right choice depends on what your test actually shows. Read the lab report, then compare it with the specific substances listed on any filter you consider. A filter that is not rated for the substance found in your water will not solve that problem, even if it improves taste.
Filtration is also not the only answer. If lead is found, the source may be the service line, a fixture, or solder inside the home, and each needs a different fix. Filtering at the tap can reduce exposure at that point, but it does not replace repairing or replacing the source.
A practical checklist
- Note the age of your home and the dates of any plumbing remodels.
- Ask your water utility what your service line is made of, and save the answer.
- Check visible solder joints, fittings, and faucet markings.
- Order an accredited lab test for lead and copper, following the lab's sampling steps.
- Read the results and the specific substances each filter is rated for before you buy.
- Keep your records, photos, and test reports together in one folder.
When to call a licensed plumber
If the lab report shows a concern, or if you cannot identify the service line material, ask a licensed plumber in the St. Louis area to look at the pipes and fixtures that reach your kitchen. Ask them to explain what they found, what options exist, and what each option would involve. Compare written estimates and ask what the work includes before you agree to anything.
This guide covers general steps for checking your water and plumbing. It is not health advice. For questions about your own health or a family member's, talk with a healthcare provider, and share your lab results with them if they ask.