The Lead and Copper Rule states that silicate treatment, phosphate treatment, and pH and alkalinity adjustment are the best available methods for controlling lead and copper in drinking water. However, detailed field and experimental data on the use of silicates for lead and copper control are scarce and the mechanism by which silicates work is still unclear. The most significant question that needs to be answered is whether silicate is incorporated into protective films on copper and lead surfaces. In this study, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to detect and characterize films on the interior of distribution pipes. XPS was also used to quantify the elemental compositions of the films in order to supplement the data from more conventional characterization methods.