Northwestern University researchers develop rapid test for lead in water
Chicago has more lead service lines than any other city in the United States.
That concerning stat has inspired researchers at Northwestern University to help with a solution. They came up with an at-home test — allowing people to check for lead in their own water.
Grad student Tyler Lucci has lost count of days spent in a lab.
"It's my life — 8 to 5, 8 to 6," Lucci said. "It's the story of my Ph.D."
At the synthetic biology lab at Northwestern University, Lucci has been singularly focused on lead in water.
"Chicago has over 400,000 lead service lines," Lucci said.
CBS News Chicago has been reporting on the lead service line issue for many years. The 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law included $15 billion for replacing lead service lines nationwide — with hundreds of millions reserved for Chicago — but city officials have estimated it would cost up to $9 billion just to replace all the lead service lines in Chicago alone.
So the problem persists, and at Northwestern, Lucci came up with a rapid at-home test for lead in water. It uses a dropped similar to those used for a rapid COVID test.
From start to finish, the test takes 30 minutes — and it doesn't take a Ph.D. to interpret results. Like a COVID test, the lead test shows solid red lines — and the darker the line, the more lead in the sample.
The sample is then matched to a legend to learn exactly how much lead there is in it.
"The idea here is that you are able to understand if you have lead at a concerning level in less than 30 minutes in your own home, for like ideally less than $20, but hopefully less than that," said Lucci.
Lucci and his team are putting the tests to the test in a study focused on homes in Chicago and Evanston with lead service lines.
"The goal of this field study if you will, quote unquote, is to get real samples and have real people use the test," he said.
Test results can help people make informed decision — whether that is installing water filters or requesting a lead service line replacement.
For Lucci, a rapid test is worth all that time in the lab.
"It's simple and it's cheap, and knock on wood, it has been working thus far," he said.
The City of Chicago offers free water lead test kits through 311, but results can take six to eight weeks.
Anyone who would like to take part in the Northwestern study can complete an eligibility form on the web, or email wise-dx@northwestern.edu. The study specifically targets single-family houses built before 1986 and located in Evanston or Chicago's Southeast Side, with confirmed or suspected lead service lines.
Study participants will receive two $25 prepaid gift cards, a lead filtering water pitcher with refills, and free water lead level testing.
If you'd like to take part in the Northwestern study, we'll share a link on our website.
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