Livonia Home Built in 1962: RO Under the Sink Eliminates Lead Risk
An older Detroit-metro home with original copper pipes and lead solder needed a point-of-use solution the whole family could trust.
Water profile
Hardness
7 GPG
TDS
145 ppm
Contaminants of concern
Source: Municipal (GLWA via City of Livonia)
Pre-1986 construction means lead solder at every joint.
Carol's 1962 Livonia home passed inspection with no issues. But homes built before 1986 used lead-tin solder at every pipe joint, and as pipes age, that solder can leach into the water. GLWA (Detroit's water authority) treats water to reduce lead leaching, but the risk lives inside the home's plumbing — not the main. The only way to protect a household in this situation is a point-of-use system at the kitchen tap.
A 5-stage RO removes lead to below 1 ppb — well under the EPA action level.
Reverse osmosis membranes reject lead ions at 98-99% efficiency. The 5-stage system under Carol's kitchen sink feeds the tap she uses for drinking, cooking, and filling glasses. GLWA water at 7 GPG doesn't require pre-softening, so the RO membrane lasts 2-3 years before replacement. We also added a dedicated faucet in polished nickel to match her kitchen hardware.
5-Stage Reverse Osmosis
RO membrane rejects lead, copper, chromium, PFAS, nitrate, and TTHMs. 5-gallon storage tank under sink.
Before vs. after
Before Installation
After Installation
“We bought the house knowing it was old. When I started reading about lead solder and what it means for homes built before 1986, I stopped drinking the tap water entirely. The RO gave us safe drinking water and I verified it with my own TDS meter. Zero lead at our kitchen tap.”
Carol — Livonia, MI
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