Where Does The Lead In Drinking Water Come From?

The U.S. department of Health And Human Services reports that lead is the worst environmental health hazard to children. Lead is a very common tap water contaminant. The lead in drinking water comes from water mains in the street and the household faucet, thus making it next to impossible to try and control lead in the drinking water from a single point.

Lead in drinking water originates from lead lined pipes, lead solder and brass plumbing fixtures inside your home. The EPA estimates that 97% of all homes have pipes, fixtures or solder joints in the household plumbing that increase the amounts of lead in the tap water.

It has been noted by the EPA that there is no safe level for lead in drinking water and that any level poses some degree of threat on health.

Lead is very Dangerous, especially to small children.

Lead in small amounts in drinking water results in lower IQs, learning disabilities and behavioral problems such as hypertension and reduced attention span in small children. The effects of lead are long term and sadly non-reversible. Interesting article:Consequences of drinking contaminated water

In adults lead in drinking water results in increased blood pressure and lowers hemoglobin production necessary for oxygen transportation in the body and interferes with normal cellular calcium metabolism. Water borne lead effects every one in a very serious and permanent way. Exposure to lead is cumulative and long term.

Lead in drinking water is kept by the body, mainly in the teeth and bones. During stressful periods to the body, the stored lead is released in different amounts depending on the individuals physical state...

Do this all the time to protect yourself from consuming lead in drinking water.

Every time you turn the water on for drinking or cooking, ensure that it runs for about 15 seconds before using it. Water that sits in pipes for long normally picks up a lot of lead from the pipes.

Wipe all windowsills, floors, or other areas where paint that may contain lead is peeling or flaking with a wet cloth. Do not let your kids play in untested suspect areas. When vacuuming or dusting be careful as this spreads around the dust.

If you have small children, ask your health professional to test your children's blood lead levels, with a test sensitive enough to detect a problem at the current Centers for Disease Control threshold of 10 micrograms per deciliter (10 ug/dL).

Do not...

Do not use hot water direct from tap , rather boil water for drinking, cooking, or especially for making baby formula. Heat rasing the leaching of lead into water.

Never store liquids in ceramic or leaded glass containers or crystal, especially in handmade containers that may contain lead.

Related article :Arsenic in drinking water

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