Lead water pipes were once common, especially in ancient times. In fact, plumbum, the Latin word for lead and lead pipes, is the source of the symbol for lead — Pb. However, lead pipes were once used in this country, too, although they haven’t been for some time. If you live in an older home, you’ll want to check to see if it still has any lead piping. If you come across lead water pipes, you may want to have them replaced. This is because lead can migrate from the pipes into your drinking water, then slowly accumulate in your body and eventually cause lead poisoning.
It should be mentioned that the solder used on copper pipes could also pose a problem. Lead solder was commonly used by plumbers until it was prohibited by federal regulations in 1986. You may not be aware that brass can legally contain a small amount of lead, despite meeting what’s referred to as a “lead-free standard.” Therefore, there’s the potential for some brass plumbing fixtures to leech a certain amount of lead into the water.
You may be interested in knowing that the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has reported that 10-20% of the lead content in children comes from tap water. Of course, waterborne lead includes any present from industrial pollution as well. For more EPA information on lead, you may want to call their National Lead Information Center. You may decide to have your water tested for lead. Home test kits are available.
Fortunately, water filters using activated charcoal in block form (especially if precoated) can strain out most of the lead in your water. (Some micro-pore filters and ceramic filters may be up to the job as well.) Most reverse-osmosis units and ion-exchange water softeners remove lead quite effectively. Another choice is KDF media.
From Creating a Healthy Household: The Ultimate Guide For Healthier, Safer, Less-Toxic Living, © 2000 by Lynn Marie Bower. Used by permission.
