Lead paint has been illegal since 1978, but paint, soil, and dust from homes that still have lead paint are the most common source of exposure to lead. Some household items such as pottery, makeup, toys, and jewelry may contain lead. Be careful of places in your home where you may find lead.In fact, it will actually increase the concentration of lead due to evaporation during boiling. Boiling water will not reduce lead levels. Hot water can leach more lead into water than cold. Never use hot water from the faucet for drinking or cooking, especially when making baby formula or food for infants.Then fill a pitcher with fresh water and place in the refrigerator for future use. Run tap water until after the water feels cold.Read the labels of any new plumbing fixtures carefully. You should always buy plumbing fixtures that have zero- or low-lead levels. To reduce your potential exposure, you should always use fresh, cold, running water for drinking and cooking. always use fresh, cold, running water for drinking and cooking. If you have concerns about lead levels in your home's water, you may wish to have your water tested. It is possible that lead levels in your home may be higher than levels in other homes in your community, if your home's plumbing contains lead. A blood level test is the only way to know if you are being exposed to lead. If you have concerns about exposure to lead, talk to your health care provider about having your or your child's blood tested. During pregnancy, the child receives lead from the mother's bones, which may affect brain development. Our bones store lead, and can release it later in life. Adults with kidney problems and high blood pressure can be affected by low levels of lead more than healthy adults. Scientists have linked the effects of lead on the brain with lowered IQ in children. The greatest risk of lead exposure is to infants, young children, and pregnant women. It can cause damage to the kidneys, and can interfere with the production of red blood cells that carry oxygen to all parts of your body. Overexposure to lead may cause problems ranging from stomach distress to brain damage. Lead can cause serious health problems if too much enters your body from drinking water or other sources. Important Information about the Health Risks of Lead If a pregnant woman or child lives in your home, replacing the entire service line can be an important way to reduce the risk of lead exposure. Please contact your local public water supplier to learn more about options for service line replacement, including possible financial aid. the technique used to install the new service line.The actual cost of service line replacement reflects several factors: The water department and the homeowner must work together to replace lead service lines. The homeowner owns the section of the pipe that is under the homeowner's property. Homeowners and the local water department usually share ownership of the service line. Do not use a knife or other sharp instrument, and take care not to puncture a hole in the pipe. On a lead pipe, the area you've scratched will turn a bright silver color. You can identify them by carefully scratching with a key. Lead service lines are generally a dull gray color and are very soft. To determine if your home has a lead service line you or your plumber need to inspect the service line. Many of these older service lines have been replaced, but your home could still have one. Some service lines that run from older homes (usually those built before 1940) to the utility water main are lead. The service line is the pipe that connects your house to the water main in the street. Information about reducing your potential exposure to lead is further down this page. Corrosion or wearing-away of lead-based materials can add lead to tap water, especially if water sits in the pipes for a long time before use. Homes built before then will likely contain lead soldered pipes. You have lead solder on pipes or brass fixtures in your home.Corrosive (e.g., low pH or acidic) water can result in the leaching of lead from service lines and plumbing materials into drinking water.Source waters are rarely the cause of elevated lead levels in finished drinking water. Lead primarily enters drinking water through plumbing materials and service lines.More information about lead service lines is below. The pipes that carry water in the street are usually made of iron or steel, and do not add lead to your water. Lead can leach into tap water if the service line that connects your home to the water main in the street is made of lead. Lead primarily enters drinking water through plumbing materials.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |