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Leadology 101 - the beginner's guide to lead
Plumbing (Plumb"ing\, n.)
- The art of casting and working in lead, and applying it to building purposes; especially, the business of furnishing, fitting, and repairing pipes for conducting water, sewage, etc.
- The lead or iron pipes, and other apparatus, used in conveying water, sewage, etc., in a building. "plumbing."
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary. MICRA, Inc.
While many definitions of plumbing exist, the one above illustrates the long established link between lead and plumbing. For thousands of years mankind has used lead or lead-based components as the cornerstones of plumbing systems large and small. Even "plumbing" itself is derived from the Latin word for lead "plumbum", which gives us the atomic symbol for lead (Pb).
But why has lead been so instrumental in plumbing?
When did it get its start in plumbing, and how?
Why Lead?
From man’s earliest civilizations to the plumbing industry today, lead has been recognized to have some benefit. Its high malleability and relatively low melting point have made lead ideal for metal working and crafting and lead's high resistance to corrosion has made it popular for use in plumbing. In addition, when added to other metals, lead-based alloys retain much of their original properties that allow the machining of plumbing components to be done with greater ease and lower cost.
The Government Responds with the "Safe Drinking Water Act"
In response to concerns regarding adverse health effects of lead in drinking water, the Federal Government in 1974 passed the Safe Drinking Water Act, which mandated the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to set standards for drinking water quality and oversee the states, localities, and water suppliers who implement those standards.
The Federal Safe Drinking Water Act was later amended to specifically address the concern of lead in drinking water by the "Lead Contamination Control Act of 1988" (LCCA). The amendment defined “lead free” as plumbing components that may contain up to 8% lead.
States Redefine "Lead Free"
While the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act remains in effect, new technological advances are giving us the ability to continue to reduce the amount of lead in plumbing and many states have begun to set their own lower lead content standards. In 2006, California Assembly Bill 1953 called for a dramatic reduction in lead content in plumbing products intended to dispense or convey water for human consumption through drinking or cooking. The new California law defined "lead free" to mean not more than a weighted average of 0.25% on the wetted surfaces of plumbing fixtures, valves, fittings and pipes. Vermont has since adopted a similar standard.
Tips to "get the lead out"
Many areas of the country have an aging plumbing infrastructure often put in place long before the Safe Drinking Water Act was passed, so lead in drinking water remains a concern.
So the question becomes, what can I do now to reduce lead in my drinking water?
The EPA’s Quick Tips to Reduce Your Family's Exposure to Lead
- Use cold water for drinking or cooking. Never cook or mix infant formula using hot water from the tap.
- Make it a practice to run the water at each tap before use.
- Do not consume water that has sat in your home’s plumbing for more than six hours. First, make sure to run the water until you feel the temperature change before cooking, drinking, or brushing your teeth, unless otherwise instructed by your utility.
- Some faucet and pitcher filters can remove lead from drinking water. If you use a filter, be sure you get one that is certified to remove lead by the NSF International.
What should I do if I suspect that my water contains high lead levels?
- If you want to know if your home’s drinking water contains unsafe levels of lead, have your water tested.
- Testing is the only way to confirm if lead is present or absent.
- Most water systems test for lead as a regular part of water monitoring. These tests give a system-wide picture and do not reflect conditions at a specific drinking water outlet.
For more information on testing your water, call EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791.