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.

TitleDateAuthor
2021 LCRR Implementation Fact Sheet (2024)April 2024EPA 
EPA Developing and Maintaining a Service Line Inventory: Small Entity Compliance Guide (2023)June 2023EPA
EPA Fact Sheet for Developing and Maintaining a Service Line InventoryJune 2023EPA 
EPA Guidance for Developing and Maintaining a Service Line Inventory (2022)Aug. 2022EPA
Reiteration/Clarification on Technical Recommendations regarding Corrosion Control Treatment and Lead and Copper Rule Implementation LetterJune 2019EPA Region 5
Sequential drinking water sampling as a tool for evaluating lead in Flint, MichiganMarch 2019EPA 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 ManualOctober 2018EPA Office of Water
Important State LCR Authorities and When to Use ThemApril 2018EPA Region 5
Memo: Implementation of the Lead and Copper Rule Provisions Related to Sample SiteOctober 2016Peter 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 2016EPA Office of Water
Optimal Corrosion Control Treatment Evaluation Technical Recommendations for Primacy Agencies and Public Water SystemsMarch 2016EPA Office of Water
Beauvais Letter to DNRFebruary 2016EPA Office of Water
Memo: Clarification of Recommended Tap Sampling Procedures for Purposes of the Lead and Copper RuleFebruary 2016Peter Grevatt, EPA Office of Ground Water & Drinking Water
Lead and Copper Rule Requirements for Optimal Corrosion Control Treatment for Large Drinking Water SystemsNovember 2015EPA Office of Water
Detection and Evaluation of Elevated Lead Release from Service Lines: A Field StudyJuly 2013Miguel Del Toral, Andrea Porter and Michael Schock
Lead and Copper Rule: Monitoring and Reporting Guidance for Public Water SystemsMarch 2010EPA Office of Water
Lead and Copper Rule - Clarification of Requirements for Collecting Samples and Calculating ComplianceNovember 2004EPA Office of Water
How to Determine Compliance with Optimal Water Quality Parameters as Revised by the Lead and Copper Rule Minor RevisionsFebruary 2001EPA Office of Water
Lead and Copper Rule Guidance Manual - Volume II: Corrosion Control TreatmentSeptember 1992EPA Office of Water

LSL replacement funding

Lead Service Line (LSL) Replacement Funding

More information