Lead in Drinking Water

What causes lead in Drinking water ?

As plumbing materials containing lead corrode, lead may infiltrate drinking water, particularly when the water has a high acidity or low mineral content, which corrodes pipes and fixtures. Lead tubing, faucets, and fixtures are the most important sources of lead in drinking water. Lead pipes connecting the house to the water main, also known as lead distribution cables, are usually the most common source of lead of the water in households with lead pipes. Lead pipes are more common in older cities and homes constructed before 1986. Brass or chrome-plated brass faucets are the most prevalent concern in homes without lead service lines.

Corrosion is a metal dissolving or wearing away created by a chemical reaction between water and the plumbing. The extent to which lead enters the water is determined by a number in factors, including:

• The temperature of the water,
• The amount of wear in the pipes,
• The length of time the water stays in the pipes, and
• The presence of protective scales or coatings.

Is there such a thing as a healthy amount of lead in drinking water?

According to the Clean Drinking Water Act, the EPA must assess the amount of pollutants in drinking water at which no harmful health consequences are expected to exist whilst maintaining a sufficient margin of protection. Maximum contaminant level targets are non-enforceable health goals focused purely on potential health risks. Since lead is a poisonous metal that can be detrimental to human health even at low toxicity levels, the EPA has set the overall contaminant level goal for lead in drinking water at nil. Lead is a sticky substance that can accumulate in the body over time.

Since the physical and behavioural consequences of lead exist at lower exposure levels in children than in adults, young children, babies, and foetuses are more vulnerable to lead. A lead dose that may have little effect on an adult may have a major impact on an infant. Low levels of exposure in children have been related to central and peripheral nervous system injury, learning delays, shorter height, reduced hearing, and impaired blood cell development and function.

Children

Also low levels of lead in children’s blood can cause:

• Behaviour and learning difficulties
• Reduced IQ and hyperactivity
• Slowed growth
• Hearing issues
• Iron deficiency

In exceptional cases, lead poisoning can result in epilepsy, paralysis, and even death.

Pregnant women

Lead can build up in our bodies over time and is deposited in bones alongside calcium. Lead is released from the mother’s bones as maternal calcium during birth and is used to help structure the foetus’s bones. This is especially true if a woman does not consume enough calcium from her diet. Lead may also breach the placental membrane, exposing the foetus to the toxic substance. This may have significant consequences for the mother and her growing foetus, including:

• Reduced growth of the foetus
• Premature birth

Important Steps You Can Take to Reduce Lead in Drinking Water

• Get the drinking water checked. To get your water sampled to read more about the lead content of the drinking water, contact your water provider.
• Determine whether you have a lead service line. To find out if the tubing that links your home to the water main (called a service line) is made of lead, contact the water company or a professional plumber.
• Turn on the shower. Clean the home’s plumbing before drinking by running the water, taking a shower, doing laundry, or doing a wash of dishes. The amount of time it takes to run the water depends on whether or not your home has a lead service line, as well as the length of the lead service line.
• Residents can call their water utility for advice on flushing times in their area.
• Find out what’s going on in your area when it comes to construction. Keep an eye out for any renovation or repair projects that can disrupt your lead service line. More lead can be released from a lead service line as a result of construction.
• Make use of cold water. Drinking, heating, and preparing baby food can all be done with cold water. Keep in mind that boiling water does not strip lead from water.
• Make sure the aerator is clean. Clean the panel of your faucet on a regular basis (also known as an aerator). In your aerator, sediment, dirt, and lead particles will accumulate. Lead will enter the water if lead particles get trapped in the aerator.
• Make proper use of your filter. If you use a filter, make certain that it is approved to eliminate lead. Read the instructions to find out how to correctly mount and use your cartridge, as well as when to replace it. Using the cartridge after it has expired can reduce its ability to remove lead. Do not use hot water to rinse the filter.