Health experts agree that there is no safe level of exposure to lead.
As well as lead supply pipes, lead can also enter water through lead solder joints, lead-lined tanks or plumbing fittings and taps.Other household sources of lead in water can include:If you think you have lead pipes, call us on the number above. Measures taken during the last two decades have greatly reduced exposures to lead in tap water. Although it is much less common than it used to be, lead in the form of tetra-ethyl lead is still found is some brands of gasoline. To do this, check the pipe coming from your outside stop tap to your property (you might want to ask for help to do this if access is difficult).
Children under the age of 6 years old are at an increased risk for lead exposure, due to their rapid rate of growth and their tendency to place toys and other objects in their mouths that could contain lead or leaded dust. Examine the pipe leading from the stop valve to your house. Remember:You should also run the water for a minute if the tap hasn’t been turned on all day – for instance, if you’ve been out at work.Lead can get into drinking water that it's been in contact with for an extended period, such as overnight.
Lead sometimes can also be found in: Soil. Other sources of lead exposure. Children are often exposed to lead in a number of other ways. Lead particles from leaded gasoline or paint settle on soil and can last years. It may however occur dissolved in water as PbCO 3 or Pb(CO 3) 2 2-. A well-known example of a water soluble lead compound is lead sugar (lead(II)acetate), which derived its name from its sweet nature. This leaflet from the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) (PDF 100 KB opens in a new window) explains how lead can get into water and what you can do to safeguard health; Public Health England has a number of downloadable leaflets about lead and its effects on health; Does your home have lead pipes?
The longer water is in contact with lead, the more lead is likely to be in it. In certain circumstances, extended contact between standing water and the components can cause the lead to be released from the pipes.
If a lead pipe is damaged or flattened (which can happen when driveways and paths are replaced) the amount of lead that can get into the water increases.
If you're concerned that you may have lead plumbing, or would like your drinking water checked for lead, please call us to arrange a visit to your property and we'll take a water sample for analysis, free of charge:If you have lead pipes, only use the flushed cold kitchen tap for drinking and cooking – never use any hot tap.To identify lead pipes, look at the pipes leading to your kitchen tap or internal stop-tap (usually under the kitchen sink):If you do need to use lead pipes, don't drink the water that has been standing in the pipes overnight: If you live in an older property, your supply pipe - the underground pipe that connects your home to the public water mains - could be made of lead, and there's a chance that there may be some lead pipes inside your home.In the past, lead was widely used for everything from plumbing to electronics.How will you know the difference between lead and other materials?