Lead in drinking water. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets a limit on the amount of lead permitted in drinking water. The EPA Action Level for lead is .015 milligram per liter (mg/L) of water. Under EPA guidelines, if 90%

of a water system’s study samples have a lead concentration less than .015 mg/L, the water is considered safe for drinking.

I (coauthor Sincich) received a report on a study of lead levels in the drinking water of homes in my subdivision. The 90th percentile of the study sample had a lead concentration of .00372 mg/L. Are water customers in my subdivision at risk of drinking water with unhealthy lead levels? Explain.