How To Remove Lead Contamination From Your Sarasota Tap Water

There are a range of solutions that can effectively remove lead and other harmful contaminants from tap water. These products include whole-house water filtration systems, under-sink filters, and drinking water systems. To determine the best product for your specific needs, schedule a free water consultation with a Culligan expert.

Culligan’s whole-house water treatment solutions are designed to remove a wide range of drinking water contaminants, including lead, haloacetic acids, and barium in drinking water. These systems are installed at the main line entering your home, ensuring that all potable water used indoors is filtered and safe. This approach is particularly valuable for older homes in Sarasota County, where water quality issues may arise from aging infrastructure and public water systems.

Culligan’s under-sink reverse osmosis filters provide an additional layer of protection by filtering cold water at the point of use. These filters are effective against lead, copper, nitrate, and disinfection byproducts like Dibromoacetic acid and Trichloroacetic acid, which may appear as a byproduct of disinfection. Under-sink filters are an ideal option for Sarasota residents concerned about contaminants in tap water.

In the U.S., between 14–20% of total lead exposure comes from drinking water. While the drinking water quality report for Sarasota County Utilities confirms compliance with federal standards, homes with older plumbing systems still face a health risk. Lead-based paint, brass fittings, and outdated copper pipes soldered with lead can all leach lead into the city water supply.

Even when the water utility provides clean water, the source water may still pick up lead as it travels through outdated infrastructure. This is a serious public health concern, especially for pregnant women, infants, and individuals with underlying health conditions.

Lead enters community water systems through corrosion, a chemical process that breaks down materials in plumbing and releases lead into the drinking water supply.

Environmental conditions, like pH and water softness, can accelerate this corrosion process. Bacterial water testing can sometimes be affected by lead as well, and elevated levels in drinking water often coincide with other forms in drinking water, such as haloacetic acids and dichloroacetic acid.

Homes without lead service lines can still be affected if fixtures contain lead-based components. Additional contaminant measurements in Sarasota’s annual average reports show trace levels of disinfection byproducts, chlorodibromoacetic acid, and monochloroacetic acid, underscoring the need for informed decisions when selecting filtration methods.

Yes — particularly in homes built before the 1980s. While Sarasota County has taken steps to modernize its infrastructure, many homes still have lead plumbing or solder, which can pose a significant health risk. According to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, ongoing pipe replacements are underway, especially in neighborhoods near Surface waters or high-density housing where buildup in pipes is more common.

Avoiding a lead issue starts with prevention. The following recommendations come from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and align with guidance from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development:

The Safe Drinking Water Act requires that lead have a maximum contaminant level goal (MCLG) of zero due to its severe health risks, including bone cancer, harm to bones, and cardiovascular issues. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends action if lead in blood exceeds 3.5 μg/dL.

For pregnant women, the risks include reduced fetal growth, harm to reproduction, and developmental delays in newborns. For children, even minor lead exposure can cause cognitive damage, anemia, and permanent learning disabilities. Some contaminants, like fluorotelomer sulfonic acid or strontium, can also exacerbate these issues.

The Flint, Michigan water crisis showed the devastating consequences of neglecting public utilities, failing to monitor contaminants above health guidelines, and ignoring infrastructure decay. The city’s switch to a new source water triggered lead corrosion, E. coli, THMs, Legionnaire’s disease, and long-term health impacts. Thousands of children faced exposure far exceeding the one-in-a-million lifetime cancer risk level.

While Sarasota County has not faced such a crisis, the lesson is clear: safe drinking water depends not just on treatment, but on regular testing, public health authority oversight, and proactive home maintenance.

To protect your family and ensure access to clean tap water in Sarasota or Manatee County, consider testing your home’s water and exploring advanced filtration systems. Culligan offers sustainable solutions for homes throughout Sarasota County, delivering healthy water with every drop.