An evaluation was carried out on a point-of-use (POU) granular activated carbon (GAC) fixed-bed adsorber (FBA) for removing soluble and insoluble lead from drinking water. Several factors affected the removal of lead from water by GAC, including carbon type, particle size distribution, solution pH, contact time of water with pH, contact time of water with GAC, surface loading of lead onto GAC, competitive interactions with other heavy metals, and the design of the POU-GACFBA. Minicolumns were used to determine the relative capacities of GAC for lead under varying water conditions and to help identify mechanisms of lead removal. Includes 27 references, tables, figures.