(MONEY Magazine) – Newspapers have been dripping with stories lately about unhealthy tap water: First, in April thousands of Milwaukee residents learned their water supply was contaminated with animal waste. Then in May, the Environmental Protection Agency said that household water in 819 water systems around the U.S., including Charleston, S.C. and Newton, Mass., contained lead. Later that month, 60,000 New Yorkers had to boil their water after a turned-off main caused bacteria levels to rise. While these three episodes received wide publicity, not every waterborne threat to your health will. If the problem originates in your home, rather than in the public water supply, your utility company won't know about it, much less be able to warn you. The most likely culprit: lead in your plumbing system. Here's what to do if you have water worries: -- Get a water-quality test. Your utility will usually test your water for free or, if you prefer, you can do it yourself. For a $17 home test kit, call Clean Water Lead Testing (704-251-0518). Before running your own home test, wait until your tap has been idle for several hours. First thing in the morning, for instance, take two samples by filling up the containers you receive. The first sample should be drawn as soon as you turn on the faucet and the second after the water has run for one minute. Don't waste this water; use it for washing floors or other household purposes. You can expect the results back seven weeks after you send in the containers. -- Pick the right remedy for the size of your problem. If the first sample's reading shows lead contamination of more than 10 parts per billion -- the limit set by safety experts -- but the second one is beneath that level, there are two simple solutions. Don't drink or cook with hot tap water, which leeches lead from plumbing. And if you haven't used the tap for several hours or more, let the water run at least a minute before drinking a glass. If the second reading also is too high, you might buy a filtering pitcher like the $25 Brita (shown at left), sold at major department stores. Such filters can remove more than 90% of your water's lead. You pour the tap water into the pitcher, and the filter cleanses it. Or you could install replaceable filters on your faucets (cost: about $60 to $200 each ). If you want a low- maintenance remedy, replace your pipes used for drinking water with new plastic or copper ones. That could cost about $500 to $1,000, depending largely on the size of your home.