Tempe’s water is safe to drink and remains in compliance with all federal drinking water regulations. Tempe has been monitoring lead and copper in homes in accordance with the Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) since 1992, has maintained compliance and has not exceeded the regulatory action levels for either lead or copper. 

Tempe water professionals manage and operate critical infrastructure and systems while performing rigorous testing to ensure that your drinking water is safe and meets regulatory requirements. Tempe’s chemists, specialists and operators perform thousands of tests, monitoring water quality beyond what’s required by federal standards. 

Read Tempe’s Water Quality Report to learn more about your water.

While it is not required, you can help Tempe and get your inspection results immediately* by completing the water service line survey. The survey takes approximately five minutes to complete. Have a camera or smartphone to take pictures and if prompted, obtain a magnet and a penny or key. The survey is best completed on a smart phone. Call 480-350-2982 or email ServiceLineInventory@tempe.gov with questions or for help completing the survey.   

*Depending on the results of your survey, the city may need to perform the inspection and confirm findings.

Currently, Tempe is performing inspections for the inventory throughout the city. If your service line material has not been verified yet, you may receive a letter identifying your line as “unknown.”  

If you received this notice, know that it is a precautionary notice because your lines are officially considered “unknown,” not because there’s evidence of unsafe levels of lead. 

Real-time inspection progress is available in our public inventory, and you can search for your address.  

While it is not required, you can help Tempe and get your inspection results immediately* by completing the water service line survey. The survey takes approximately five minutes to complete. Have a camera or smartphone to take pictures and if prompted, obtain a magnet and a penny or key. The survey is best completed on a smart phone. Call 480-350-2982 or email ServiceLineInventory@tempe.gov with questions or for help completing the survey.   

*Depending on the results of your survey, the city may need to perform the inspection and confirm findings. 

Until your water service line material is inspected and verified, all water providers including Tempe are required by regulators to issue a notice to those affected by water shutoffs regarding potential for elevated levels of lead as a result of the disturbance that shutoffs can cause. If you received this notice, know that it is a precautionary notice because your lines are officially considered “unknown,” not because there’s evidence of unsafe levels of lead. No action is required of you, and your water remains safe to drink. 

To date, the city has not found any lead water service lines in Tempe. There is no history of lead water service lines used in construction in Tempe and no expectation of finding lead water service lines as the inventory project progresses.  

See the inventory and search your address. 

Complete an inspection on your own and submit it to the city by taking this short survey. 

Lead is seldom found as a natural contaminant in drinking water or in Arizona’s water supplies, such as rivers and lakes; however, lead can enter the drinking water because of corrosion, or wearing away, of materials containing lead in household plumbing. These materials include pipes made of lead or lead-based solder used to join copper pipe and brass and chrome-plated brass faucets.  

Water service lines, which connect between the water meter box and the building or home, also could be made of lead. When present, lead service lines are typically the most significant source of lead in the water.  

Tempe does not have any record of public lead service lines and has not found any private lead service lines to date. 

Learn about sources and health effects of lead in English or Spanish.  

Review resources from the Environmental Protection Agency to learn more about lead exposure in drinking water and methods to reduce or prevent lead from seeping into the drinking water. 

• Learn about health effects of lead exposure. 

• Review basic information about lead in drinking water. 

• Learn steps that can be taken to reduce lead in drinking water. 

• View or download the lead in drinking water infographic. 

Review service line records (completed): Tempe completed an extensive records review in first quarter 2022 and identified the service line material for 2,483 pipes. The service line materials identified were copper (88.2%), PVC (2.8%), other non-lead (8%) and galvanized (less than 1%). The inventory identified no lead pipes and 23 galvanized pipes so far. An additional 32,372 privately owned and 21,716 publicly owned service line materials remain to be inventoried and require field verification. 

Survey, educate customers (in progress): Tempe launched a customer survey in January 2023 for assistance in verifying remaining water service line material. Tempe Water Utilities’ customers can assist in the effort by visiting tempe.gov/ServiceLine and completing the inventory survey as soon as possible. 

Perform field inspections (in progress): Tempe initiated field inspections starting June 2023, using data submitted through the surveys to prioritize system-wide material identification efforts. 

Share results: Results of the service line verification are available here. Customers will be notified if their service line material is lead or galvanized. 

Develop a service line replacement plan: Tempe is required to establish a service line replacement plan. Completion of the inventory will be a primary component of developing the plan. 

Replace service lines: The LCRR may require future replacement of galvanized pipes in addition to lead pipes. Tempe is investigating funding sources, such as federal grants, to assist customers with replacement of customer-owned lead and galvanized service lines. 

Communicate with customers: Tempe will regularly communicate with customers who are affected by the revised rule. 

Develop water quality sampling strategy: Tempe will develop a school, day care and residential lead and copper sampling strategy for implementation in 2025. Results of this sampling will guide future LCRR action.