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How to reduce the levels of lead in drinking water: this article explains simple steps you can take to reduce exposure to lead in drinking water; new EPA Standard for lead and copper in drinking water, and requirements placed on community water suppliers. Links to Lead Testing Services are also provided.

Readers of this article should see our review of a Home Test Kit for Lead in on building surfaces located at LEAD TEST KIT for HOME USE. The same company offers a lead-in-water test, as do local health departments and private water testing labs in most cities. Also see Lead Contamination in Drinking Water: Testing & Correction - Advice.

What to Do About Lead in Drinking Water

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and various >U.S. municipal water suppliers are concerned about lead in drinking water.

In 1992, as a result of legislation written in Congress, a new US EPA standard for lead and copper became effective. This standard is intended to help communities around the nation reduce their exposure to lead/copper in drinking water, and there by, lower their exposure to lead/copper from all sources, including air, lead based paint, soil and dust. Lead paint is the main source of lead poisoning; however, lead contamination from water can contribute 10 to 20 percent of a person's exposure.

In 1992, more than 60,000 public water suppliers throughout the U.S. tested various homes they served for lead/copper at household taps.

ALTHOUGH WATER SUPPLIED FROM YOUR WATER TREATMENT PLANT MAY BE FREE FROM LEAD/COPPER*, contamination from your piping system may cause lead/copper to dissolve (leach) into your water supply if: * You have a lead service line connecting your home to the water main in the street; and/or * Your home has lead water supply pipes; and/or * You have lead containing soldered joints in your copper supply pipes (installed from 1983-86); and/or * You have plumbing fixtures containing lead. * In rare cases some lead leaching may take place from piping in the street if it is a low flow area, i.e.; dead end streets.

Although most homes have very low levels of lead in their drinking water, some homes in some communities have lead levels above the EPA action level of 15 parts per billion (ppb), or 0.015 milligrams of lead per liter of water (mgL).

Under Federal Law water suppliers are required to have a program in place to minimize lead in drinking water by January 1, 1996. This program includes corrosion control treatment, source water treatment, and public education. We are also required to replace each lead service line that we control if the line contributes to lead concentrations of 15 ppb or more after we have completed the comprehensive treatment program. If you have any questions about how the requirements of the lead regulations are being carried out, call your local water department or health department.

Health Effects of Lead Poisoning and Lead in Drinking Water

Lead is a common, natural, and often useful metal found throughout the environment in lead-based paint. air, soil, household dust, food, certain types of pottery porcelain pewter, and water.

Lead can pose a significant risk to your health if too much of it enters your body. Lead builds up in the body over many years and can cause damage to the brain, red blood cells, and kidneys. The greatest risk is to young children and pregnant women. Amounts of lead that won't hurt adults can slow down normal mental and physical development of growing bodies. In addition, a child at play often comes into contact with sources of lead contamination - like dirt and dust - that rarely affect an adult. It is important to wash children's hands and toys often, and to try to make sure they only put food in their mouths.

Lead in Drinking Water as a source of lead poisoning

(i) Lead in drinking water, although rarely the sole cause of lead poisoning, can significantly increase a person's total lead exposure, particularly the exposure of infants who drink baby formulas and concentrated juices that are mixed with water. The EPA estimates that drinking water can make up 20 percent or more of a person's total exposure to lead.

(ii) Lead is unusual among drinking water contaminants in that it seldom occurs naturally in water supplies like rivers and lakes. Lead enters drinking water primarily as a result of the corrosion, or wearing away, of materials containing lead in the water distribution system and household plumbing. These materials include lead-based solder used to join copper pipe, brass and chrome plated brass faucets, and in some cases, pipes made of lead that connect your house to the water main (service lines).

In 1986, Congress banned the use of lead solder containing greater than 0.2% lead and restricted the lead content of faucets, pipes; and other plumbing materials to 8.0%.

(iii) When water stands in lead pipes or plumbing systems containing lead for several hours or more, the lead may dissolve into your drinking water. This means the first water drawn from the tap in the morning or later in the afternoon after returning from work or school can contain fairly high levels of lead.

Steps You Can Take in the Home to Reduce Exposure to Lead in Drinking Water

(i) Despite our best efforts mentioned earlier to control water corrosivity and remove lead from the water supply, lead levels in some homes or buildings can be high. To find out whether you need to take action in your own home, have your drinking water tested to determine if it contains excessive concentrations of lead. Testing the water is essential because you cannot see, taste, or smell lead in drinking water. Some local laboratories that can provide this information are listed at the end of this booklet. For more information on having your water tested, please call your health department or water department.

(ii) If a water test indicates that the drinking water drawn from a tap in your home contains lead above 15 ppb, then you should take the following precautions:

(A) Let the water run from the tap before using it for drinking or cooking any time the water in a faucet has gone unused for more than six hours. The longer water resides in your home's plumbing the more lead it may contain. Flushing the tap means running the cold water faucet until the water gets noticeably colder, usually about 15-30 seconds.

If your house has a lead service line to the water main, you may have to flush the water for a longer time, perhaps one minute before drinking. Although toilet flushing or showering flushes water through a portion of your home's plumbing system, you still need to flush the water in each faucet before using it for drinking or cooking.

Flushing tap water is a simple and inexpensive measure you can take to protect your family's health. It usually uses less than one or two gallons of water and costs less than .42 cents per month. To conserve water, fill a couple of bottles for drinking water after flushing the tap, and whenever possible use the first-flush water to wash the dishes or water the plants.

If you live in a high-rise building, letting the water flow before using it may not work to lessen your risk from lead. The plumbing systems have more and sometimes larger pipes than smaller buildings. Ask your landlord for help in locating the source of the lead and for advice on reducing the lead level.

(B) Try not to cook with or drink water from the hot water tap. Hot water can dissolve more lead more quickly than cold water. If you need hot water, draw water from the cold tap and heat it on the stove.

© Remove loose lead solder and debris from the plumbing materials installed in newly constructed homes or homes in which the plumbing has recently been replaced by removing the faucet strainers from all taps and running the water for 3 to 5 minutes. thereafter, periodically remove the strainers arid flush out any debris that has accumulated over time.

(D) If your copper pipes are joined with lead solder that has been installed illegally since it was banned in 1986, notify the plumber who did the work and request that he or she replace the lead solder with lead-free solder. Lead solder looks dull gray, and when scratched with a key looks shiny. In addition, notify your health department about the violation,

(E) Determine whether or not the service line that connects your home or apartment to the water line is made of lead. The best way to determine if your service line is made of lead is by either hiring a licensed plumber, or a private home inspector or building inspector to inspect the line or by contacting the plumbing contractor who installed the line.

You can identify the plumbing contractor by checking the city's record of building permits, which should he maintained in the files of the City of Poughkeepsie Building Department. A licensed plumber can at the same time check to see if your home's plumbing contains lead solder, lead pipes, or pipe fittings that contain lead.

The public water system that delivers water to your home should also maintain records of the materials located in the distribution system.

If the service line that connects your dwelling to the water main contributes more than 15 ppb to drinking water, after the (possibly) required comprehensive treatment program is in place, the municipality is required to replace the line.

If the line is only partially controlled by the municipality, they are required to provide you with information on how to replace your portion of the service line, and offer to replace that portion of the line at your expense and take a follow-up tap water sample within 14 days of the replacement. Acceptable replacement alternatives include copper, steel, iron, and plastic pipes.

(F) Have an electrician check your wiring. If grounded wires from the electrical system are attached to your pipes, corrosion may be greater. Check with a licensed electrician or your local electrical code to determine if your wiring can be grounded elsewhere. DO NOT attempt to change the wiring yourself, because improper grounding can cause electrical shock and fire hazards.

(iii) The steps described above will reduce the lead concentrations in your drinking water. However, if a water test indicates that the drinking water coming from your tap contains lead concentration in excess of 15 ppb after flushing or after we have completed our actions to minimize lead levels, then you may want to take the following additional measures:

(A) Purchase or lease a home treatment device. Home treatment devices are limited in that each unit treats only the water that flows from the faucet to which it is connected, and all of the devices require periodic maintenance and replacement. Devices such as reverse osmosis systems or distillers can effectively remove lead from your drinking water. Some activated carbon filters may reduce lead levels at the tap, however, all lead reduction claims should he investigated. Be sure to check the actual performance of a specific home treatment device before and after installing the unit.

(B) Purchase bottled water for drinking and cooking.

(iv) You can consult a variety of sources for additional information. Your family doctor or pediatrician can perform a blood test for lead and provide you with information about the health effects of lead. State and local government agencies that can be contacted include:

(A) Your municipal water treatment plant operator, health department, or water department can provide you with information about your community's water supply and a list of local laboratories that have been certified by EPA for testing water quality.

(B) Your municipal building department can provide you with information about building permit records that should contain the names of plumbing contractors that plumbed your home.

© Your local health department can provide you with information about the health effects of lead and how you can have your child's blood tested.

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LEAD IN DRINKING WATER, HOW to REDUCE
  Lead in Drinking Water
  Health Effects of Lead
  Lead in Drinking Water
  Steps You Can Take
  Tests for Lead Contamination in Water
LEAD TEST KIT for HOME USE
LEAD WATER PIPING HAZARDS & REMEDIES
  Allowable Lead Levels in Water
  Lead Level vs. Test Methods

• Source: public information document provided by the City of Poughkeepsie New York (Dutchess County) to residents served by city water supply system, December 1995.
• US CPSC Document #426 "How to Protect Your Family from Lead in the Home" with additional information and annotations
• "Displaced Gypsies at Risk from Lead in Kosovo Camps," Nicholas Wood, New York Times, 5 February 2006 p5.

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Lead Contamination and Hazards

• Lead in Drinking Water: Advice
• Tests for Lead Contamination in Water
• Lead in Drinking Water - Testing Problems/Advice
• Lead Hazards: Advice, evaluation, mitigation, services - lead paint, lead in plumbing, lead in water, air, dust
• How to Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home U.S. CPSC publication with additional links and resource references
• Lead Hazards in Buildings, Dust, Paint, Water: General Advice, Testing Procedures, Illnesses with additional links and resource references for Lead Hazards
• Lead in Drinking Water : Advice
• Lead Testing & Correcting Contamination from Lead Water Supply Lines/Entry Mains - Lead Pipe Problems/Advice
• "Dally No Longer, Get the Lead Out," Jane Brody, The New York Times," 17 January 2006 p. F6. This is a good article for summarizing the lead issue.
• SOP for Determining Lead (Pb) and And Its Availability in Children's Jewelry
• Toy Industry Policy on Lead in Toys, International Council of Toy Industries, October 8, 1997

  "The voluntary standard established in the United States under ASTM F-963 and the European standard under EN-71 for soluble lead in toys (lead which may migrate from the toy and be ingested by the child) is 90 parts-per-million. At that level, any intentional use of lead in paints or other surface coatings containing lead would immediately put the toy over the permitted limit."

  "Under federal law, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) enforces a standard for total lead of 600 ppm. Recently, the CPSC refused to lower the lead limit in paint and other similar surface coating materials to 100 ppm after finding that most paints sold in the United States were already at or below that level and, therefore, these materials did not present an unreasonable risk of injury warranting further government regulation."

• Extreme Lead Poisoning Symptoms Suggested by Feb 2006 NY Times Article on Kosovo Roma Camps
• Environmental Hazard Testing, Effects, Remedies, Prevention - our main Enviro-Haz web page
• Drinking Water Contamination and Pollution How to Detect, Test, Correct, and Prevent Well Water Contamination - US EPA - Groundwater

• Cheating on water tests: Testing Water for Real Estate Transactions - make sure your water test is valid
• Drinking Water Testing Advice for home buyers home owners home inspectors
• Interpreting Drinking Water Test Results and Correcting Unsatisfactory Water
• Drinking Water Contaminant Levels - Maximum Allowed
• Lead Contamination in Drinking Water: Testing & Correction - Advice (This Article)
• Lead Testing & Correcting Contamination from Lead Water Supply Lines/Entry Mains - Lead Pipe Problems/Advice
• Water Requirements, Home & Outdoor Living
• Water Tests & Fees & detailed lists of test parameters
• When and How to Shock or Chlorinate a Well - Procedure for Shocking a Well to (temporarily or maybe longer) "Correct" Bacterial Contamination
• Drinking Water testing, contamination, correction - all topics
• General water testing and corrective measure advice: contact your local health department.
• How to Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home U.S. CPSC publication with additional links and resource references
• Extreme Lead Poisoning Symptoms Suggested by Feb 2006 NY Times Article on Kosovo Roma Camps
• Lead Hazards in Buildings, Dust, Paint, Water: General Advice, Testing Procedures, Illnesses with additional links and resource references for Lead Hazards
• Environmental Hazard Testing, Effects, Remedies, Prevention

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