The City of Fairfax faces a significant but often overlooked public health challenge regarding lead exposure, particularly given that nearly half of our community’s homes were built before 1978. While Fairfax Water maintains excellent standards in water quality, the broader threat of lead exposure extends beyond our drinking water into our homes through aging infrastructure, lead-based paint, and contaminated soil.
​The Lead Free Fairfax program represents more than just regulatory compliance – it demonstrates a sophisticated understanding that protecting public health requires comprehensive action.​ Fairfax Water’s outreach to 137,000 customers to determine potential lead exposure points shows unprecedented commitment to community safety. However, this massive undertaking raises questions about the resources required and whether the program goes far enough in addressing all potential sources of lead contamination.
Rather than merely testing water and updating infrastructure, our community needs a broader conversation about lead exposure prevention. This should include practical guidance for homeowners and renters, professional expertise for renovation work, and most importantly, robust public education about lead risks. The success of Lead Free Fairfax will ultimately depend not on compliance statistics but on tangible improvements in public health outcomes and informed community engagement. As our city continues to grow, we must ensure that this initiative becomes a model for addressing environmental health challenges at the local level.
If you are drinking Fairfax Water and your home was built before 1978, please visit the Lead Free Fairfax initiative on Fairfax Water website at https://www.fairfaxwater.org/leadfree