Lead Safe Columbus

Children living or spending time in homes built before 1978 must be tested for lead at ages 1 and 2. Children who live with or visit adults who work with lead should also be tested.

Columbus Public Health's Lead Education and Poisoning Prevention (LEAPP) program helps families learn about lead, get children tested, and find ways to reduce lead risks.

To learn more, call the LEAPP Hotline at (614) 724-6000 or click here

Healthcare providers, including family physicians, play a key role in preventing lead poisoning by identifying children at high risk, testing their blood lead levels, and connecting families to follow-up services.

All children living in or visiting pre-1978 housing must be screened for lead poisoning at age 1 and 2 and receive a venous confirmation if the result is ≥ 3.5 µg/dL according to Ohio Administrative Code.

Click here to access resources for healthcare providers through the Lead Education and Poisoning Prevention (LEAPP). 

Renovation, repair or painting can create dangerous lead dust. Before you renovate, find an EPA, lead-safe certified contractor in your area. Start here.

Planning a DIY project on a home built before 1978? Take extra safety steps to avoid creating harmful lead dust. Learn more about lead-safe work practices.  

The Lead Safe Registry Map shows homes built before 1978 in Columbus that have been checked and found safe from lead hazards through the Lead Safe Columbus Program. Homes marked as "lead-safe" may still have lead paint, but had no lead-based paint hazards, dust, or soil when last checked.

Note: Homes on this map may not be available to rent. Contact property owners for details. This map ONLY includes homes checked through Lead Safe Columbus and is not a list of all lead safe properties in Columbus.

Columbus offers several programs to help remove lead from your home. To qualify, families must meet income limits:

Table 80% of the Area Median Income - Effective 2025

• Lead Safe Columbus: Removes lead paint hazards with other home health risks like radon. For landlords and homeowners with households up to 80% AMI.
• Critical Home Repair: Fixes health and safety hazards in homes. Available for homeowners only with households up to 80% AMI. Veterans are eligible up to 120% of AMI.
• Emergency Repair: Fixes urgent home safety problems, including plumbing issues. For homeowners only with households up to 50% AMI.
• Healthy Homes Production Grant: Addresses health hazards like mold, pests, air quality, and radon. For landlords and homeowners with households up to 80% AMI.  

Columbus water is treated to avoid lead contamination, but older pipes may still pose risks. Starting in 2025, the city will replace all lead and galvanized water pipes. Homes in underserved areas will be first, and replacements will be coordinated with other city projects.

Want your pipes replaced sooner? Visit our website or call us at 614-645-6725.

Learn more about the Lead Service Line Replacement Program.

Contractors must be registered through vendor services to be eligible to bid on projects. Click to learn more about vendor services.

Please note: Contractors must be registered to replace water service lines on individual homes that are utilizing the Department of Public Utilities' Lead Elimination Assistance Program (LEAP). To learn more about these opportunities, please email leadsafelines@columbus.gov! 

You must have special training to safely work on lead hazards, such as paint removal, in older buildings. Columbus will cover training costs for lead workers and supervisors. (This certification is not required for water line work.)

Interested? Contact Brittany White, Lead Safe Columbus Program Manager, at bnwhite@columbus.gov.