Rockville, MD · Lead

Is There Lead in Rockville Tap Water?

Lead was not detected in Rockville’s latest sampling.The 90th-percentile result was below the lab’s reporting limit. That describes sampled homes, not every tap; home plumbing can still add lead.
  • CITY OF ROCKVILLE · PWSID MD0150003
  • Purity Score 100 · Excellent
  • Confidence: moderate
Lead service lines in Rockville
0lead lines of 13,225 in EPA’s inventory (2026Q2)
  • Lead0
  • Galvanized, to replace0
  • Unknown material8,298
  • Not lead4,927
How Rockville compares
2,738 cities have a detected lead value

What this means: Rockville's lead result was below the lab's reporting limit, so it is not plotted. A tap test shows what reaches your glass.

City water is not your tap

Plumbing inside a home can add lead the record can’t show.

The city report tells you about the water system. A tap test tells you about your household.

How to test your tap
  1. Surface waterSource
  2. TreatmentIn the record
  3. Distribution systemSampled
  4. Service lineNot in the record
  5. Building plumbingNot in the record
  6. Your tapOnly a tap test
In order of priority

What can you do about lead?

  1. Test your tapThe highest-value step. A first-draw sample shows what reaches your glass.Choose a test →Identify your plumbingAsk the utility about your service line; check for lead solder or old brass fixtures.Ask your utility →
  2. Reduce exposureIf testing shows lead, use a filter certified for lead at the tap you drink from.Treatment options →Replace the sourceReplace a lead service line or suspect plumbing. Many utilities share the cost.Ask your utility →
Commercial · test your own tapWe may earn a commission

City data tells you what’s happening across the system. Your tap tells you what’s happening in your home.

Test kits for lead in Rockville, compared
TestLeadOther contaminantsResultUseful for
ETR Labs Basic Water Quality Test Kit✓50+ substances, including lead, copper, arsenic, nitrate, hardness and coliform bacteriaLab numberA number you can act on
Safe Home DIY Lead in Drinking Water Combo Test Kit✓None listedScreening, not lab-gradeA quick first check
  • Lab-certified results

    ETR Labs Basic Water Quality Test Kit

    ETR Laboratories

    50+ substances, including lead, copper, arsenic, nitrate, hardness and coliform bacteria

    What it can't tell you: It does not test PFAS, and not every result on the panel falls under the lab's accredited scope.

  • Screening: quick check, not lab-grade

    Safe Home DIY Lead in Drinking Water Combo Test Kit

    Safe Home (EnviroTestKits)

    Lead, read as one of three ranges: 0–4, 5–15 or 15+ ppb

    • Turnaround: 5 minutes

    What it can't tell you: It shows a lead range, not an exact level, and tests nothing else unless you pay extra for the optional lab test.

Treatment

Treatment options for lead in Rockville

  1. Lead
  2. Exposure pathway
  3. Treatment technology
  4. Certification
  5. Product
Contaminant
Lead
Detected
Not detected
Benchmark
15 µg/L action level
Household concern
Plumbing-dependent
Matching technologyLead-certified point-of-use filtration

Why: designed to reduce lead at the drinking-water tap, after the water has passed through the service line and building plumbing.

  • NSF/ANSI 53 · carbon
  • NSF/ANSI 58 · reverse osmosis
Commercial

Products for lead

Lead isn't a concern in Rockville’s record, so no product is matched here. Open one to see what its certification covers.

As an Amazon Associate, PurityMap earns from qualifying purchases. A product appears here only when a current certification record covers at least one identified concern; every concern stays listed. The retail offer is looked up afterwards and never changes which products appear or their order. Affiliate disclosure.

Don’t misread thisA city-wide result does not tell you your tap result

A reported city-wide lead concentration is not a measurement of the water coming from every household tap. Lead can enter water through service lines, faucets, fixtures and plumbing materials.

Want to know what’s in your water?Test your tap →
Results as a table1 result with limit, status, sample date and source
Lead results for CITY OF ROCKVILLE (PWSID MD0150003), Rockville, MD
ContaminantResultLimitStatusSampledSource
Lead (90th percentile)Non-Detect (ND)15 µg/L federal action levelNot detected above the reporting limit2018–2018 monitoring periodLead & Copper Rule 90th-percentile: CITY OF ROCKVILLE (MD0150003) (opens in a new tab)
Questions

Lead in Rockville water, answered

Sources used for this analysis2 sources
Lead & Copper Rule 90th-percentile: CITY OF ROCKVILLE (MD0150003)View ↗ Lead & Copper Rule 90th-percentile: CITY OF ROCKVILLE (MD0150003) (opens in a new tab)
  1. Publisher: US EPA SDWIS
  2. Record: State SDWIS Compliance Record
  3. Date: 2026-07-09
  4. Measurement: Lead (90th percentile) Non-Detect (ND)
  5. Benchmark: 15 µg/L federal action level
  1. Publisher: US EPA
  2. Record: UCMR5 Analytical Results
  3. Date: 2026-01-15
  4. Measurement: not on record
  5. Benchmark: not on record
Is there lead in Rockville tap water?

Lead was not detected in CITY OF ROCKVILLE's most recent lead sampling (2018): the 90th-percentile result was below the lab's reporting limit. It comes from sampled homes; your own pipes decide what reaches your tap.

Does Rockville have lead service lines?

In EPA's service line inventory (2026Q2), CITY OF ROCKVILLE reported 0 lead service lines, 0 galvanized lines requiring replacement and 8,298 of unknown material, out of 13,225 lines in total. Unknown lines have not yet been identified and may include lead.

Can my home have more lead than the city report shows?

Yes. Lead usually enters water from service lines, solder and fixtures between the main and your tap, so one home can measure higher than the citywide figure. Only a test of your own tap shows it.

How do I know if my home has a lead service line?

Ask CITY OF ROCKVILLE whether your address appears in its service line inventory, which utilities must publish. You can also look where the water pipe enters your home: lead pipe is dull grey, soft, and shows shiny metal when scratched gently.

How do I test my Rockville tap water?

Use a state-certified lab for an exact number, or a screening kit for a quick range. For lead, take a first-draw sample: water that has sat in the pipes for at least six hours.

What filter removes lead from Rockville water?

One whose current certification names lead for the exact model: NSF/ANSI 53 (carbon) or NSF/ANSI 58 (reverse osmosis). Until then, run the cold tap for a few minutes after water has sat for hours, and use only cold water for drinking and cooking.

What certification should I look for in a lead filter?

NSF/ANSI 53 or 58 with lead listed for the exact model, checked in the certifier's listing (NSF, WQA or IAPMO).

Should I replace my lead service line?

If your home has one, replacing it removes the main source of lead. Ask CITY OF ROCKVILLE first; many utilities replace these lines for free or share the cost.