Table of Contents
Lead (Pb) In Drinking Water
A technical paper by Olympian Water Testing specialists
Lead In Drinking Water
Lead is a poisonous earth’s crust metal of industrial applications for toughness that went into plumbing pipes, decades ago. It is lead pipes, faucets and plumbing fixtures that are the major sources of lead in water. There could be lead in some water pipes that run from the water main to the house. Lead can also be found in domestic plumbing fixtures, welding solder and pipe fittings dating from before 1986 [1]. Lead is responsible for crippling illnesses and The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) do not believe there are safe levels of lead in a child’s blood. The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) of 1986 and 1996 and the Lead and Copper Rule of the EPA are just some of the legislation created to deal with the problem of lead in water and lead poisoning of children [2, 3]. But then, children and adults are still drinking lead in drinking water. This means we need to reduce lead exposure and enhance health.
We’re here to teach you all about Lead in water, how is it harmful to you, how you can reduce them and how to decontaminate water.
Lead exposure in the United States of America
Lead pipes were laid in the nation’s biggest cities between the early and mid-20th century. They were prescribed for longevity: between 75 and 100 years. There are now up to 12 million lead pipes in the United States (US) [4] and there’s a higher concentration of lead in the water coming from the tap in daycare, school, and home over time in different cities. Up to 56 percent of the population consumed lead-tainted water in US cities between 2018 and 2020 [5].
How Does Lead Get into Drinking Water?
Corrosion
This is most often the case when plumbing or lead pipes are corrosion-resistant in a chemical reaction. Such exposure occurs when their water is mineral low and very acidic and the system is led faucets, pipes and fixtures [1].
Lead service lines are the most common lead in water source in homes. Lead pipes are widespread in homes built before 1986. But if there are no lead service lines in the house, then the worst situation where lead contamination could occur is a lead-soldered plumbing or chrome and brass-plated taps [1, 5].
This will influence how much lead in the water:
What minerals are in the water and how much of what minerals?
The acidity/alkalinity of the water
The temperature of the water
Level of lead in the water.
The wear of the pipes
Existence of protective coatings and scale in the pipes.
The period the water is still in the pipe.
Inadequate Municipal Water Treatment
Water: Water quality monitoring and water treatment by utilities to ensure that customers have clean water. Most cities are not properly treating their water, though. An illustration is Washington, DC, which in 2001 changed disinfectant from chlorine to chloramines. Unfortunately, since they never examined the effects of chloramines, the water got more corrosive and the city was high in lead [6].
Water treatment facilities should coat lead pipes and fixtures with zinc orthophosphate and other anti-corrosion chemicals to reduce corrosion, leaching and flaking of lead [7].
The Lead and Copper Rule
Lead and Copper Rule [3]: Lead and Copper Rule 1991 [3] from EPA. In the past, the rule has been changed a few times. But the primary goal of the EPA has been to make sure that the pipes are monitoring drinking water from customers’ faucets all the time. Lead should remain within action limits of 15 ppb and copper shouldn’t exceed 1.3 ppm in more than 10% of consumer taps sampled. In excess of these, corrosion should be kept under control and citizens told what is to be done to keep their health protected. Sometimes lead service lines have to be replaced to keep the water from becoming too lead-rich.
What are the Health Effects of Exposure to the Metal Lead?
Under the Safe Water Drinking Act, EPA has to establish contaminants in a public drinking water source [2]. The contaminants shouldn’t be so bad that they endanger consumers’ health. These thresholds are sometimes referred to as maximum contaminant level targets.
For lead, the end goal for contaminant is 0. This is 0 because lead is a poison that is harmful to humans, even at low levels. Also, lead is a persistent metal that gets stuck to the body.
Children
Lead is particularly harmful to foetuses, babies and children at relatively low concentrations and will modify behaviour and physical traits in them as compared with adults [1, 8]. Thus, a small amount of lead that would do little to an adult would do a great deal to a child.
Even children have a greater exposure risk as their body is growing fast and absorbs the lead better in case of exposure [9]. They also mash up other objects and put these things in their mouths, which makes lead dust an important source of exposure for them.
[8, 9]; [8, 9] are some of the effects of lead on children;
Peri- and CENTRAL Nervous System Injury.
Shortness of limb or stunted development
Defect in the function and synthesis of blood cells.
Learning and behavioral disabilities
Impaired hearing
Hyperactivity and lower IQ
Anemia
So the CDC says public health measures are taken if lead concentration in the child’s blood exceeds 3.5 micrograms per deciliter [10].
As well as lead in water, children can get lead through paint, soil, dust, air and food. Intriguingly, if lead in a child’s blood exceeds the limit recommended by CDC, the child is probably getting the lead from another source. But water could account for as much as 20% of the individual’s total exposure to lead, and up to 40% in children on mixed formula [11].
Pregnant Women
Lead can build up in the human body and accumulate in the bones (as calcium does). We have found out that during pregnancy (especially for women who do not receive sufficient calcium in the diet) the lead will be excreted from bones and used to create foetal bones leading to severe consequences like fetal stunting and prematurity [12]. Along with floating off the foetus just like calcium, lead can also be floating off the breast milk [13].
Adults
Adult lead also kills, and leads to the following [8, 14];
Hypertension and high blood pressure
Kidney dysfunction
Headaches
Constipation
Muscle and joint pain
Sleeping disorders
Fatigue
Irritability
Libido deprivation and fertility issues.
If they have hobbies that expose adults to lead, or if they are employed in industries that expose adults to lead, then they will become exposed to lead. If, for instance, a parent is a house-renovator, then they can be exposed to lead because they work in older houses where lead dust has been found.
Is Showering in Lead-Contaminated Water Harmful?
No. Showering in lead-contaminated water cannot affect you or your children because your skin does not absorb lead [11].
However, more stringent rules may be applied to individual circumstances, such as cases where the water may be highly corrosive. Therefore, you should take more stringent actions, such as liaising with your local water authority to have your tap water tested for lead contamination. You can find information regarding the lead levels in your water from the EPA Consumer Confidence Report website, where most public water authorities post metal testing results, including lead testing in water [15].
What to Do If You Suspect Lead in Water
You may suspect that there is lead in your water. Follow these steps to ascertain the state of affairs.
Learn About the Water Coming into the Home
Your community water system prepares an annual water quality report known as Consumer Confidence Report. You can reach out to your water utility to receive a copy of this report.
However, if the water comes from a private water supply or well, you will need to check with nearby utilities or the health department to understand the contaminants in the area. As per EPA’s Public Notification Rule [16], which ensures that consumers know if there is a problem with their drinking water, you will most likely be alerted by the public water system if there is a problem with the drinking water in your area; if the water system fails to test its water; if the system uses less costly technology or if it needs more time to comply with a new regulation.
Have the Water Tested for Lead
Your home may have lead in the plumbing, the solder or even newer faucets. However, you cannot taste, see or smell lead, which makes testing for lead the only viable method of knowing whether there is lead in the water. First, you should learn if you have a lead service line from a licensed plumber or your water utility. Then, you can contact a certified water testing company to conduct a water analysis to ascertain whether there is lead in the water.
How to Reduce Lead in Water
After testing your water for lead, you can take the steps below to reduce lead in your drinking water: To reduce lead contamination in drinking water, you should consider installing a certified water filter that effectively removes lead. Additionally, regularly flushing your taps by running cold water for several minutes before using it can help minimize the concentration of lead that may have leached into the water. Lastly, replacing old plumbing fixtures and pipes known to contain lead is a crucial step in ensuring safe, clean drinking water for you and your family.
Run Your Water
One of the quickest ways to rid your water of lead is to flush the water pipes before you fetch drinking water. Then, you can use the resulting water to wash dishes, do laundry or shower. Ideally, the time taken to run the water will depend on factors such as the length of the lead service line and whether your home has a lead service line. You can contact your water utility company to know the estimated time you will need to run your water to make it safe for drinking.
Use a Water Filter
If you use a filter, it is crucial to ensure your filter is certified to remove lead. If you buy one, you should read the manufacturer’s instructions and install it properly. Use a cartridge and when the time to replace it comes, do so. Using a cartridge after expiry may mean less effectiveness at lead removal. Additionally, do not run any hot water through the filter.
Learn About Your Neighborhood Construction
As part of doing your due diligence, it is best to be aware of any maintenance or construction work in your area, as these could lead to the disturbance of the lead service line. Therefore, you may find that the lead service line is releasing more leads than usual.
Clean the Aerator
Another good tip for lowering lead levels in water is to clean your aerator/faucet screen. Lead, debris and sediments collect in the aerator, and if the lead particles are in the aerator, the lead can eventually get into the water.
Drink and Use Cold Water
It may be tempting to think that boiling can help remove lead from water. Unfortunately, this cannot be further from the truth. The best thing to do is to use only cold water for drinking, cooking, and making baby formula. Boiling water does not remove lead; it increases lead concentration due to the evaporation of some amount of water [17]
What to Do if There is Lead in the Water
If you find out that there is lead in the water in your pipes, you need to take steps to ensure that your family is staying safe. The best step would be to contact the family doctor or pediatrician so they can conduct a blood test for lead and give you information about the potential effects. Check your city, county, and state departments of health to see if they provide information about how to test your child’s blood for contaminants such as lead. Public health actions are recommended if your child’s lead levels in the blood are more than 5 grams per deciliter.
Lead Poisoning Prevention
It would be best if you protect your children from exposure to lead for good health. However, as we have already mentioned, there is no safe lead level in the blood, and even low lead levels in the blood have been shown to affect children in numerous ways [10]. So remember, the most important step to take as a parent, caregiver, and public health professional or healthcare provider is to prevent lead exposure before it occurs. However, even if your children are exposed, you can take steps as a parent to prevent further exposure and reduce the damage to their health.
Primary Prevention
Primary prevention involves removing lead hazards from the environment before children are exposed. This is the most surefire way of ensuring that children are not exposed to the long-term effects of lead poisoning.
Secondary Prevention
Secondary prevention includes going for a blood test if you suspect your child has been exposed to lead and then going for follow-up care and referral if necessary. Blood tests will let you know the level of exposure to lead as many children who have been exposed to lead usually have no obvious symptoms, and the effects could only be realized in the long term. Therefore, preventing childhood exposure could save you financially, especially if you pay attention to avoiding exposure in places where they live, play, and learn.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Lead Poisoning?
Lead poisoning or toxicity is the exposure to lead that results in sickness and will require medical attention. If the level of lead in your blood levels is over 45 micrograms per deciliter or more, your doctor or healthcare provider will recommend medication to help remove the lead from your body [10, 14]. Children are more sensitive to lead exposure compared to adults.
Is there a safe level of lead for a child?
No, there is no exposure to lead that is safe for children. Even low levels of lead can be harmful to children because they are still developing mentally and physically. Lead exposure can affect children’s intelligence, attention spans, and academic achievement.
How can you find out exposure to lead in children?
To find out if there has been lead exposure, take them for a blood lead test, as most of them will not show signs of lead toxicity. If you suspect your child has been exposed to lead, you should talk to your doctor or healthcare provider for a blood lead test, and most insurance policies cover blood lead tests.
Are there risk factors for Childhood risk exposure?
Children under the age of 6 are most likely to encounter health problems due to lead exposure, as they are still growing and developing [18]. According to the CDC, children are at risk if:
- They live in houses that were built before 1978; the walls are chipping and peeling or the house is in poor condition.
- They live in households with low-income levels
- Come from racial-ethnic minority groups that are socio-economically marginalized
- Are exposed to lead through other household members who are exposed at work, through hobbies or at playgrounds and schools
- Live near active lead and industries that release it into the air.
Contact Us Today for Water Testing Services
If you have concerns about your water’s safety and want to get it tested for lead, you need to work with a company that understands your needs and its mandate. At Olympian Water Testing, we have professionals who understand that safe water is essential for optimal health. We conduct regulatory water testing to help you ascertain whether your water is contaminated so you can take the next step. Contact us today with all your water testing and analysis tools.
References
- Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention: Lead in Drinking Wate. CDC.
- EPA: Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).
- EPA: Lead and Copper Rule. (1991).
- NRCD: Lead Pipes Are Widespread and Used in Every State,
- NRCD: Millions Served by Water Systems Detecting Lead. (2021).
- Edwards, M., Dudi, A.: role of chlorine and chloramine in corrosion of lead-bearing plumbing materials. 96, (2004).
- Pelley, J.: Treatment for lead in drinking water is evolving. Will the U.S. EPA catch up?,
- World Health Organisation: Lead poisoning. (2022).
- Gundacker, C., Forsthuber, M., Szigeti, T., Kakucs, R., Mustieles, V., Fernandez, M.F., Bengtsen, E., Vogel, U., Hougaard, K.S., Saber, A.T.: Lead (Pb) and neurodevelopment: A review on exposure and biomarkers of effect (BDNF, HDL) and susceptibility. International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health. 238, 113855 (2021).
- Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention: Recommended Actions Based on Blood Lead Level. CDC.
- EPA: Basic Information about Lead in Drinking Water,
- Gharehzadehshirazi, A., Kadivar, M., Shariat, M., Shirazi, M., Zarkesh, M.R., Ghanavati Najed, M.: Comparative analyses of umbilical cord lead concentration in term and IUGR complicated neonates. The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine. 34, 867–872 (2021).
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Guidelines for the identification and management of lead exposure in pregnant and lactating women,
- NYC Health: Adults and Lead Poisoning,
- EPA: Safe Drinking Water Act: Consumer Confidence Reports (CCR).
- EPA: Public Notification Rule, Public Notification Rule, last accessed 2022/12/03.
- ESP Water Products: How Does Lead Get Into Drinking Water?,
- Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention: Populations at Higher Risk. CDC.
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