Drinking Water_Content Page_Lead and Copper Rule

Lead and Copper Rule

The purpose of the Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) is to protect public health by minimizing lead and copper levels in drinking water. Lead and copper enter drinking water mainly through the corrosion of service line pipes and plumbing materials. The LCR establishes action levels for lead and copper based on a 90th percentile level of tap water samples. An action level exceedance (ALE) is not a violation but triggers additional requirements to minimize exposure to lead and copper in drinking water, including water quality parameter monitoring, corrosion control treatment, source water monitoring/treatment, public education and lead service line replacement. All community water systems and non-transient non-community water systems are subject to the LCR requirements.

The Federal Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) went into effect on Dec. 21, 2021. Under the LCRR, all public water systems (PWS) in Wisconsin are required to develop and submit a lead service line inventory to the DNR by Oct. 16, 2024. Additionally, under the LCRR beginning on this date, PWS that get a lead ALE will be required to issue a Tier 1 Public Notice to their consumers within 24 hours of learning of the exceedance.

Information for public water system owners and operators

LCR forms and information

Lead and copper forms and information

Inventory requirements

Lead and copper sampling requirements

Consumer notification requirements

EPA LCR guidance

EPA Lead and Copper Rule Guidance

The EPA documents used by the department to guide implementation of the LCR are listed below. Note: Where conflicting information exists among these documents, information in the most recent guidance document prevails.

Title Date Author
2021 LCRR Implementation Fact Sheet (2024) April 2024 EPA 
EPA Developing and Maintaining a Service Line Inventory: Small Entity Compliance Guide (2023) June 2023 EPA
EPA Fact Sheet for Developing and Maintaining a Service Line Inventory June 2023 EPA 
EPA Guidance for Developing and Maintaining a Service Line Inventory (2022) Aug. 2022 EPA
Reiteration/Clarification on Technical Recommendations regarding Corrosion Control Treatment and Lead and Copper Rule Implementation Letter June 2019 EPA Region 5
Sequential drinking water sampling as a tool for evaluating lead in Flint, Michigan March 2019 EPA Office of Research & Development; EPA Region 5, Ground Water & Drinking Water Branch
3Ts for Reducing Lead in Drinking Water in Schools and Child Care Facilities - Revised Manual October 2018 EPA Office of Water
Important State LCR Authorities and When to Use Them April 2018 EPA Region 5
Memo: Implementation of the Lead and Copper Rule Provisions Related to Sample Site October 2016 Peter Grevatt, EPA Office of Ground Water & Drinking Water
Beauvais Letter to Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) and Environmental Council of States (ECOS) July 2016 EPA Office of Water
Optimal Corrosion Control Treatment Evaluation Technical Recommendations for Primacy Agencies and Public Water Systems March 2016 EPA Office of Water
Beauvais Letter to DNR February 2016 EPA Office of Water
Memo: Clarification of Recommended Tap Sampling Procedures for Purposes of the Lead and Copper Rule February 2016 Peter Grevatt, EPA Office of Ground Water & Drinking Water
Lead and Copper Rule Requirements for Optimal Corrosion Control Treatment for Large Drinking Water Systems November 2015 EPA Office of Water
Detection and Evaluation of Elevated Lead Release from Service Lines: A Field Study July 2013 Miguel Del Toral, Andrea Porter and Michael Schock
Lead and Copper Rule: Monitoring and Reporting Guidance for Public Water Systems March 2010 EPA Office of Water
Lead and Copper Rule - Clarification of Requirements for Collecting Samples and Calculating Compliance November 2004 EPA Office of Water
How to Determine Compliance with Optimal Water Quality Parameters as Revised by the Lead and Copper Rule Minor Revisions February 2001 EPA Office of Water
Lead and Copper Rule Guidance Manual - Volume II: Corrosion Control Treatment September 1992 EPA Office of Water

LSL replacement funding

Lead Service Line (LSL) Replacement Funding

More information