Is it safe to drink unfiltered tap water during pregnancy in an older home?

What's actually in it

Homes built before about 1986 often have lead solder joining copper pipes, or plain lead service lines running from the street to the house. Older galvanized pipes also release iron, zinc, cadmium, and manganese as the coating wears through. You can't see or taste most of it. Water that sits overnight in these pipes picks up the most metal, so first-draw water is the worst.

Pregnancy changes the math. Iron stores drop, and the body absorbs metals more aggressively. Lead that was stored in the bones years ago can also come out during pregnancy and reach the baby.

What the research says

A 2026 study in J Environ Sci compared metal levels in pregnant women with and without hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (high blood pressure, preeclampsia). The women with hypertension had higher exposure to a mix of metals, not just one. The combination mattered more than any single element. That's exactly what comes out of aging plumbing: a low-dose cocktail every time the tap runs.

The practical version is easy. Let the cold tap run for 30 seconds before filling a glass. Only use cold water for cooking and drinking (hot water pulls more metal out of pipes). A certified filter (look for NSF 53 for lead and NSF 42 for chlorine) on the kitchen tap solves the drinking water side. You can also request a free lead test from your water utility: most are required to provide one.