What Are The Hazards Of Drinking Water From The Tap In A House With Lead Pipes?
The actual risk depends partly on the chemistry of water in your area. One thing you should never do is drink water that came out of the hot tap in a house with lead pipes. Drinking cold water is often okay, though. Lead is a health hazard because it interferes with calcium ions in the human body. But lead from pipes is unlikely to diffuse into drinking water in places where the water is “hard”, that is, already full of calcium. In places where the drinking water has a low mineral content (think Glasgow, northern England, Birmingham and rural Wales) the lead is much more likely to get into the water. So the softer the water, the more hazardous drinking water is that passes through lead pipes. Drinking cold water from lead pipes in very “hard water” areas poses minimal risk, by contrast. That said, it’s usually advisable to replace lead pipes if you have the opportunity. Contact your council or water company to see if they can help with the costs of doing so, or if they will help make s
Related Questions
- If a homeowner is hiring a contractor to do renovation on their house, which was built prior to 1978, must the homeowner use a certified lead abatement firm to complete the work?
- I live in a house with a lead connection to the municipal water main and my children have been drinking tap water since they were born. Should I be afraid for their health?
- Is the tap water from local municipalities safe? Is it likely that older copper pipes may leach into the water?
