Most of the country has read the news about Flint, Michigan’s water contamination crisis that began in April 2014 when reports found high levels of lead in drinking water. Halfway through 2016 and water quality across the city has improved as a result of changing water sources and public education for how to avoid exposure to lead. Yet several long-term challenges remain resulting from antiquated infrastructure containing lead and lack of human and financial resources.
If a similar crisis were to unfold 555 in the area you live there are steps you can take to try and lessen its impact on you and your family. Bearing in mind outside factors like where you get your water and the age of your plumbing could make it difficult to find a permanent fix. Also when lead is dissolved in water there is no smell or taste. Other contamination might point to issues with your water, such as a murky or discolored appearance and questionable odor. Otherwise you will need a lead water test.
If you want to know about the quality of water supplied to your home you can contact your water utility. It is the responsibility of your local utility provider to test water quality and make those reports available. According to the EPA, “community water systems that serve 100,000 or more people must post their reports on the Internet. EPA encourages other systems to post their reports as well.” Many of these reports can be found on their Consumer Confidence Reports page.
If your provider is a non-community system you can contact them directly. After making a request, if your provider fails to provide a suitable answer, try contacting your state drinking water program offices.
For example, the water utility where I live in North Carolina serves more than 700,000 people and has indicated that lead at a concentration of 7 ppb has been found in 10% of water samples. This is below the 15 ppb limit set by the EPA, therefor no further action is required on the part of the utility.
It is important to understand that the source of drinking water might have a lower concentration of lead than what comes out of your faucet. Water must often travel through hundred of miles of pipes before reaching your home. It is possible for contaminants to leech into your water supply in an area where water testing is not being assigned.
If you are interested in learning about lead in the water you drink you can gather a sample and send it to a local lab for testing, though this method can be costly. An at home lead water test kit can often provide results with up to 99% accuracy in around 10 minutes.
The EPA has determined there is no safe levels of lead in water, however they do indicate that a concentration above 15 ppm requires action to prevent health risks to children and pregnant women in particular. Think of parts per million (ppm) as a single penny in $10,000. It is a very small amount but its affects can be devastating.
If you find elevated levels of lead in your home water supply you should stop drinking or using the water to cook. Note: Boiling water is not effective at destroying lead. You can still safely wash your hands, shower, and bath as lead dissolved in water does not absorb through skin.
The next step you should take is to flush all of your water line and retest the water. The water you drink is slightly corrosive and when left stagnate in pipes it is at a greater risk for leeching lead. Start by running cold water through all of your faucets, outside water lines, and anywhere else for as long as possible. Up to 10 minutes should be enough. Take another sample and write down your results. You should consider testing from multiple faucets.
If you find levels of lead higher from another faucet then you might be able to pinpoint a specific cause, such as an old fixture or pipes leading to that area of the home.If flushing helps to reduce lead then getting into the habit of running water for 30 seconds before use could largely eliminate any health risks.
After determining the safety of your drinking water getting your children’s blood or your own tested will help you to determine if any medical actions is necessary as there are treatments for lead poisoning.
Finally, talk with your friends and neighbors who live in your area and use the same utility company. Have them test their water. If they find elevated levels of lead it might be safe to assume local schools and businesses are also using contaminated water.
Lead Removal Options
Short of ripping out old pipes and replacing fixtures, if lead is coming from beyond your property then there is little you can do to stop contamination. Besides flushing pipes, there are several filtration options available that are designed to remove up to 99% of lead.
Pentek 150237 10″ Big Blue HFPP Housing
To clean water coming into your home you will need a system with a large sump and filter. The Pentek 150237 is one of our most popular housings, providing high flow rates and durability. These system are generally good for up to 10 years with normal maintenance including changing the o-ring and replacing the filter around every 6 months. The added benefit of a whole house system are how much better point-of-use systems (refrigerator filters, undersink filters, Britia pitchers) work as a result of not having to take out so many contaminants.
Pentek DBC-10EX2 10″ KDF/GAC Big Blue Filter
The Pentek DBC-10EX2 works with Big Blue housings and combines a carbon filter element with complex KDF, a material that mixes differing metals to safely reduce aresenic, mercury, lead, and much more from your water supply. The multi-purpose design reduces minerals and the possibility of limescale buildup around fixtures and decreases the amount of chlorine. For showers, taking out chlorine from the water will help to improve the look and feel of your skin as the chemical, even in small amounts, can be corrosive. For drinking water there will be fewer odors and takes.
