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How to test your water for lead

The only way to know how much lead is in your tap water is to have it tested by a licensed lab. You take the sample at home, following the lab’s instructions, and the lab tells you the result. Some cities test for free. In Hamilton, the City points residents to private licensed labs.⁠[1]

Not sure you need a test? Our free check shows what public data says about homes in your area.

Updated November 4, 2026
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Who tests water for lead in Ontario?

Labs licensed by the Province of Ontario. The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks publishes the list of licensed labs, and it shows which labs are licensed for lead and which accept samples from the public.⁠[2] On the 2026 list, 14 labs are licensed for lead and accept samples from the public. The closest to Hamilton are in Mississauga and Waterloo.

Some licensed labs, including the City of Hamilton’s own lab, do not accept samples from the public, so check that column before you call.⁠[2]

Health Canada also suggests asking your local public health unit to help you find an accredited lab.⁠[3]

When should you test?

Testing makes the most sense if any of these apply:

  • Your home was built before 1955, when lead was widely used in service lines, solder and fittings.⁠[4]
  • Someone in your home is six or under, pregnant or planning a pregnancy. The City of Hamilton names these as the groups most sensitive to lead.⁠[1]
  • A tap or fixture was added or replaced. Ontario asks schools and child care centres to test a new fixture before using it.⁠[5]
  • Only part of a lead line was replaced. Health Canada says partial replacement has been shown to raise lead levels.⁠[6]
  • You have a drilled well in rural Hamilton above the Niagara Escarpment (see well water testing).

Does my city test for free?

City Testing for residents How
Hamilton Through private labs The City says private labs can test for lead. Use a licensed lab. Call the lab for its price and sampling instructions.
Toronto Free, for homes built before the mid-1950s Register through 311, pick up a kit at a Toronto Public Health office, drop off the sample. Results by mail within 30 days.
Ottawa On request The City says residents concerned about lead can request a water quality test. Its page does not state a cost; ask when you call.
Waterloo (City of) Free, for eligible homes built before 1989 Fill in the City’s pre-screening form or call 519-886-2310 ext. 30287. Staff take the sample at your home, from a cold tap. About 50 homes a year, and a $25 credit on your next water bill.
Other cities Ask Call your city or water utility. We add cities as we cover them.

Sources: City of Hamilton⁠[1]; City of Toronto⁠[7]; City of Ottawa⁠[8]; City of Waterloo.⁠[9]

In Hamilton, people in apartment buildings or private townhouse complexes go through their superintendent or property management company for lead testing.⁠[1] See our guide for renters.

Sample bottles left at your door are not from the City of Hamilton, and the City says it cannot comment on those results.⁠[1] A real test is one you arrange.

How a lead water test works

  1. Choose a licensed lab. Check that it is licensed for lead and accepts samples from the public.⁠[2]
  2. Call the lab. Ask for its price, a sample bottle and its instructions.⁠[1] Use the questions below.
  3. Take the sample exactly as the lab says. Timing matters. In Ontario’s sampling for schools and child care centres, the first “standing” sample is taken after water has sat in the pipes for six hours or more, and a second “flushed” sample after a 5-minute flush and a 30 to 35 minute wait.⁠[5] Your lab will tell you what it needs.
  4. Return the sample the way the lab asks, within its time limit.
  5. Read your result. See what your lead test result means.

Questions to ask the lab

  • Are you licensed for lead, and do you accept samples from the public?
  • What does the test cost, and what does it include?
  • One sample or two (standing and flushed)?
  • Which tap should I use, and how long should the water sit before I take the sample?
  • How soon must the sample reach you?
  • How long until I get the result, and will it be in mg/L or µg/L?

On a well? Lead can come from the rock

In rural Hamilton above the Niagara Escarpment, some drilled wells have natural lead from the bedrock, and Hamilton Public Health advises those owners to test for it in late fall or early spring.⁠[10] See well water testing for the full advisory.

Can you test water for lead yourself?

You take the sample yourself. A licensed lab does the testing. The City of Hamilton and Health Canada both point people to a lab.⁠[1][3]

Home test strips or a lab test?

We have not found an Ontario or Health Canada source that compares home test strips with lab tests. Both the City of Hamilton and Health Canada point to a licensed or accredited lab, so that is what we recommend.⁠[1][3]

How much does a lead water test cost?

Labs set their own prices, so call the lab and ask. The City of Hamilton gives the same advice.⁠[1]

While you wait for your result

  • Use only cold water for drinking and cooking. Health Canada says hot water draws more lead from plumbing.⁠[3]
  • If water has sat for several hours, run the cold tap until it is cold, about one minute. For homes with a lead service pipe, the City of Hamilton advises at least five minutes.⁠[4]
  • Use a filter certified for lead. See water filters for lead.

When your result comes back

See what your lead test result means to compare your number with Health Canada’s guideline and Ontario’s standard. If your result is high, contact your water utility and your local public health unit. In Hamilton, that is the City of Hamilton and Hamilton Public Health.

Worried about lead exposure? See lead exposure: signs and symptoms.

Sources

  1. City of Hamilton, Lead in Your Drinking Water. Checked . ↩︎
  2. Government of Ontario, List of Licensed Laboratories. Checked . ↩︎
  3. Health Canada, Drinking water: what about lead? Checked . ↩︎
  4. City of Hamilton, Lead Water Service Replacement. Checked . ↩︎
  5. Government of Ontario, Flushing and sampling for lead. Checked . ↩︎
  6. Health Canada, Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality: Guideline Technical Document, Lead. Checked . ↩︎
  7. City of Toronto, Lead Testing for Residents. Checked . ↩︎
  8. City of Ottawa, Lead Pipe Replacement Program FAQ. Checked . ↩︎
  9. City of Waterloo, Request in-home lead testing. Checked . ↩︎
  10. City of Hamilton, Naturally Occurring Lead in Bedrock. Checked . ↩︎

Also see: lead pipes, testing your water in Hamilton, testing your water for other things.