Cheyenne tap water safe after fresh testing finds minimal lead

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The City of Cheyenne’s latest federally required tap-water screening found lead levels within federal limits at most sampled homes, though two addresses registered above the threshold that prompts extra attention. The results leave the utility below the EPA’s intervention trigger, but they renew focus on older plumbing, ongoing replacement plans and simple steps residents can take now to lower exposure risk.

Cheyenne Board of Public Utilities staff collected samples from 36 residences in the latest round of monitoring required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Two samples exceeded the EPA’s benchmark of 0.015 milligrams per liter — the level regulators use to decide whether a water system must take additional corrosion-control or remediation actions.

Because fewer than 10% of the tested homes topped that benchmark (2 of 36, roughly 5.6%), the system as a whole does not yet meet the federal threshold for mandated system-wide measures. The BOPU told local officials and residents it believes the high readings are likely caused by internal plumbing—fixtures or pipework inside those individual homes—rather than a failure of the city’s mains or treatment processes.

Still, results were largely reassuring: the majority of homes passed, and 17 of the samples showed lead at levels below laboratory detectability.

What the utility is doing

The BOPU said it continues routine corrosion-control work and can reduce lead leaching at the treatment stage by adjusting water chemistry, including pH. The utility is also compiling an inventory of service lines and seeking funding to investigate and replace any lead service lines — a common nationwide effort to tackle the main source of lead in drinking water.

Cheyenne maintains a public resource called the Lead-Free page, which includes guidance for residents, a service-line classification map and an updated inventory of known or suspected line materials.

Practical steps for residents

• Run cold water for a short time before drinking if the faucet hasn’t been used for several hours; avoid using hot tap water for cooking or drinking.
• Use only cold water for beverages and food preparation; hot water dissolves lead more quickly.
• Consider a certified point-of-use filter that specifically states it removes lead (check for NSF/ANSI Standard 53).
• Have tap water tested if you suspect elevated levels or if your plumbing contains older components; contact the BOPU for sample guidance.
• Consult the utility’s service-line map to see whether your property has a known or suspected lead service line and follow the city’s instructions for replacement programs.

Public-health context matters: lead exposure is especially harmful to young children and pregnant people, so even low-level findings can prompt household-level precautions while the utility manages systemwide risk.

Looking ahead, residents should expect periodic monitoring updates and continued work on the city’s service-line inventory and replacement funding. For homeowners who want immediate assurance, the utility’s Lead-Free web page and its testing program remain the most direct routes to confirm water safety at the tap.