Pitcher / Filter Program

Your drinking water is treated at one of two treatment plants and surpasses all requirements of the Safe Water Drinking Act, established by EPA. City of Wilmington's drinking water is treated to prevent lead contamination, but older homes may still have lead service lines.  While the lead service line may be a source of lead in the home’s plumbing, there could still be lead in a home’s interior plumbing such as faucets or fixtures. Water filters are available at hardware and home goods stores, as well as online retailers.  When choosing a filter, ensure it is rated NSF/ANSI Standard 53 for lead filtration as not all home water filters are certified to remove lead.

Will I Receive a Filter?

The City of Wilmington will replace any lead or galvanized requiring replacement service line from the City’s water main all the way to your property when we are replacing the water main on your block. The U.S. EPA recommends using a pitcher filter for drinking water for six months after a lead service line replacement to reduce potential exposure to lead.

If your service line was replaced, you’ll receive a free pitcher filter certified for lead removal and a Notice for Flushing Instructions (PDF). This notice provides step-by-step directions to help you safely flush your plumbing system and use your filter effectively. Ver en Español (PDF).

If you did not receive a filter, that means your service line was not made of lead or galvanized material, and no filter is needed.

Find out more about current and past Small Mains Replacement Programs here. Use the Traffic and Construction map to find the most up-to-date work locations.

Point-of-Use Filters

Point-of-use (POU) drinking water filters remove impurities at the point of use. The EPA covers POU filters for water faucets, refrigerator dispensers and ice makers, and water pitchers and bottles. While there is no federal requirement for POU filters or their testing under the Safe Drinking Water Act, consumers can increase confidence by purchasing filters certified by an accredited third-party body for lead and particulate reduction (Class I) per NSF/ANSI Standards 42 and 53. This tool provides certification marks and text indicating a filter's lead-reduction capabilities. View the EPA's Consumer Tool for Identifying Point -of-Use Drinking Water Filters Certified to Reduce Lead (PDF).