Lead in Water

Drinking water can sometimes contribute to elevated blood-lead levels. The EPA has estimated that on average up to 20% of a child's total lead exposure can potentially be attributed to lead-contaminated water. While water is rarely the primary source of exposure to lead for children with elevated blood-lead levels, it is nevertheless important to note that formula-fed infants are at special risk of lead poisoning, if their formula is made with lead-contaminated water. Similarly, schools and daycare centers are particularly important places to check for lead-contaminated water, since such facilities provide water to young children all day long. Pregnant women should also take special care to avoid ingesting lead, since lead crosses the placenta and can affect the fetus.
Although there is no "safe" level of lead in water, the EPA has established an "action level" for lead in drinking water at 15 parts per billion. All drinking water that does not come from wells is treated before it reaches the service lines that direct the water to individual residences, thereby removing any lead that may be present in the water at its source. However, lead can still leach into drinking water from certain types of plumbing materials, such as lead pipes, lead solder, brass faucets and some water meter components.
Lead pipes remain in use underground—as "service lines"—in many older communities throughout the US. They can leach lead if the water running through them is corrosive, thereby contaminating the water entering the home. These service lines are the responsibility of the local water authority, which is responsible for annual sampling to ensure the lead action level is not exceeded and is also responsible for replacing old lead pipes if a significant lead problem is detected.
Inside many homes, water pipes are made of copper and are bonded together with lead solder. Because the use of lead solder was only banned in the US in 1987, millions of US homes contain lead-soldered copper pipes—and hot water can cause the lead to leach out from this solder. Accordingly, one should avoid cooking with hot water. Also, concerned consumers can "flush" standing water out of the pipes and down the drain, for at least thirty seconds to a minute, prior to using it for cooking or drinking purposes. (This "flushing" method should be applied for an even longer time period when a consumer lives in a high-rise, or whenever water has to travel through greater lengths of pipe than what one would generally find in a typical free-standing home. Also, it is important to note that if there is lead leaching out from the service lines, flushing may require several additional minutes to effectively drain the lead-contaminated water from the system.)
Brass plumbing materials, such as faucets and some water meter and well pump components, are also likely to contain some lead—in fact, as much as 8% lead. In such cases, the lead tends to leach out when the component is newly installed, rather than years later. Some water filters are very effective in keeping lead at bay. Consumers should research individual filters before buying them, to verify whether or not they are appropriate for use in minimizing exposure to lead. Consumers should also carefully follow filter manufacturer directions, to ensure filters are replaced in a timely fashion.