As Delaware schools grapple with water quality test results indicating the presence of lead in various buildings’ water sources, those at home have been left wondering: Where did the lead come from and could their drinking water be contaminated as well?
The federal Safe Drinking Water Act, under regulations through the Lead and Copper Rule, requires public water systems to monitor drinking water and take action to address lead levels and corrosion when concentrations exceed 15 parts per billion (ppb).
Those water samples are often taken at the drinking water’s source, like an aquifer, lake, or river, which does not capture contaminants that water picks up as it travels through pipes and fixtures in or to a building or home.
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Experts stress that 15 ppb was never established as a health standard but as a way to determine whether water utilities provide enough corrosion control, and both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say no amount of lead in water is safe for human consumption.
How does lead get in water?
Lead is a metal found in the environment, but seldom found naturally in water or treatment plants.
Lead primarily gets into water supplies through corroded pipes connected to older homes and plumbing that contains the metal, according to the American Water Works Association.
Although most lead materials were banned in the 1980s, much of the infrastructure that transports water to homes and buildings was installed prior to those bans, especially in the Northeast region where pipes can be over 100 years old.
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The contaminant can also get into drinking water from corroded fixtures and faucets that are made with lead.
Water systems that deliver soft water, which has fewer dissolved minerals, and water that is more acidic and higher in dissolved oxygen can be more corrosive, leading to an increased risk of lead contamination, according to the water works association.
How can I tell if my water is contaminated?
Although water utilities must provide an annual water quality report to all consumers, that doesn’t mean service lines or pipes within your home don’t have lead.
The American Water Works Association recommends keeping an eye out for frequent leaks, discolored water and stained dishes or clothes, as they can be signs of corrosive water, which in turn can introduce lead.
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You cannot see, smell, or taste lead in your water, so the best way to confirm whether it’s present is to test.
The EPA advises individuals who are concerned about lead exposure to contact their water supplier to see what information it has on water quality and if it can perform testing at your home.
Testing costs between $20 and $100 and should be performed by a state-certified laboratory.
What can lead exposure do to me?
Children and pregnant women are most at risk of lead exposure because of the developing bodies and brains of young children and unborn babies.
While most people do not immediately show signs or symptoms of lead exposure, at high doses it can have immediate effects like anemia and weakness and long-term effects if it builds up in the body over time, according to the American Water Works Association.
Lead can cause brain and kidney damage in addition to effects on the blood and vitamin D metabolism, according to the association. The metal can cross the placental barrier and thus be exposed to unborn children. Lead can damage a developing baby’s nervous system. Exposure can also cause miscarriages, stillbirths and infertility in both men and women, according to the CDC.
Lead absorption can be impacted by the route of exposure and the particle size, along with whether a person ingested lead before or after a meal.
Adults typically absorb up to 20% of ingested lead after a meal and between 60% to 80% on an empty stomach. Children absorb about 50% of lead ingested after a meal and 100% on an empty stomach, according to the CDC.
According to a 2016 study of elevated blood lead levels in children in Flint, Michigan, researchers found for every 1 ppb increase of lead in water, blood lead levels in children aged 1 to 5 years increased 35%.
How can I reduce lead exposure in my home?
If you suspect the pipes and/or fixtures in your home may contain lead, an easy way to reduce exposure is by running unused taps for up to two minutes to flush out higher concentrations of the metal. Water sitting in contaminated pipes and fixtures is more likely to have higher concentrations of lead and other contaminants.
The American Water Works Association also advises using cold tap water for cooking and drinking because lead leaches more easily in hot water.
Permanent solutions include replacing lead pipes and fixtures and installing filtration systems that remove lead from water.
Got a tip? Contact Amanda Fries at afries@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter at @mandy_fries.
