=======================Electronic Edition========================
RACHEL’S HAZARDOUS WASTE NEWS #9
—Jan. 26, 1987—
News and resources for environmental justice.
——
Environmental Research Foundation
P.O. Box 5036, Annapolis, MD 21403
Fax (410) 263-8944; Internet: erf@igc.apc.org
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HOW CAN YOU PROTECT YOURSELF FROM THE DANGER OF TOXIC LEAD IN YOUR DRINKING
WATER SUPPLY?
Late in 1986 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported that at least 40 million Americans
drink water containing more lead than the EPA’s recommended exposure. Excess levels of lead can cause
severe learning disabilities in children, blood pressure and neurological ailments in adults and complications
in pregnancy. High concentrations of lead in the body can be fatal.
Most of the lead in drinking water comes from pipes joined using lead solder in copper plumbing. Less
often, lead comes from old lead pipes connecting water mains with homes, and increasingly rarely, from lead
pipes in old public water systems. In 1985 the EPA banned the use of lead in new public and private water
systems and in plumbing repairs. Many homes–most homes–still contain plumbing with lead. To check for
lead, look at your house’s pipe joints. Joints made of lead are a dull gray while joints that are silver are made
of other materials.
According to the EPA, homeowners who think they may have a lead problem can take steps to protect
themselves and their families, including letting the tap run for at least two to three full minutes before using
the water for cooking or drinking, to flush out lead that may have accumulated while the line was not in use
and to avoid using hot water (which dissolves more lead from pipes and solder) for cooking or mixing baby
formula. Water can be tested by local water supply systems or by private laboratories.
The WaterTest Corporation of New London, New Hampshire [phone: (603) 526-6756] offers a mail order test
for $31.95. The president of WaterTest says remedial actions can be taken to remove or reduce the amount
of lead in water, including replacing lead solder with silver, using special chemical filters to remove lead, and
buying tanks that remove corrosive materials from water (thus reducing the water’s ability to dissolve lead
from pipes and pipe joints). The EPA says another possibility is to use bottled water for drinking; however,
the agency says, unlike public water supplies, bottled water does not have to meet federal standards. EPA
officials said that people who find high levels of lead in their water might want to have blood tests to
determine how much has entered their systems.
–Peter Montague, Ph.D.
Descriptor terms: water pollution; epa; lead; drinking water; remedial action; pipe; watertest corporation;
testing; monitoring;