What is the exposure limit for lead in drinking water?
The Ontario Drinking Water Standards states that the Maximum Acceptable Concentration (MAC) for lead in drinking water is 0.010 milligrams per litre (mg/L). This level is based on long-term effects and is therefore applied for average concentrations in water consumed over long periods of time. Short-term consumption of concentrations above the MAC does not necessarily pose risk to human health. When the MAC was set, drinking water was considered to be approximately 10% of all exposures to lead. The remaining 90% of lead exposure came from air, food, dust and other sources like gasoline, paints and solder. The lead levels the population is exposed to have decreased significantly over the past decades due to reductions in the use of lead as an additive in gasoline, paint and solder. The City of Hamilton Public Health Services recognizes that lead exposure should be reduced whenever possible, especially in young children and fetuses. The information below discusses sources of lead in drin
