Reducing Lead in Drinking Water (1215)

The only way to know for sure if your drinking water contains lead is to have it tested. There are several certified laboratories that test water for a fee. You can look them up in the Yellow Pages under "Water Testing." Some county health departments also test water for lead.

A water test may state that your drinking water contains amounts of lead above the federal guideline, which is 15 parts per billion. You may not be able to remove lead completely from your drinking water, but you can reduce your risk of exposure. Consider the following options for lead reduction.

Municipal water can be a problem but it is WELL water that MUST be tested frequently for a number of contaminants.

Run your cold water for two to three minutes before using the water for drinking or cooking. This is especially important first thing in the morning. Running cold water several minutes flushes out lead that has accumulated in the pipes overnight. Using the shower or doing the laundry helps. Always run cold water for 15-30 seconds before drinking it. To avoid wasting this water, collect it and use it to water plants.

Do not use hot tap water for cooking, baking or preparing baby formula. Hot water dissolves lead more easily than cold water. Instead, use cold water and heat it on top of the range or in the microwave.

Another option is to purchase a home water treatment device to reduce high concentrations of lead in drinking water. Two recommended treatment methods are reverse osmosis and distillation systems.

Another way to reduce your family's exposure to lead is to purchase bottled water for drinking and cooking. You could replace the lead pipes and solder present in your home's water system. However, replacing your home's plumbing can be very expensive.

For more information on this subject, Please visit the College of Agricultural Sciences Publications Web site.

Feel free to forward, post or reprint any of the "Solutions" in their entirely, but please credit http://www.solutions.psu.edu/ as the original source of information, and please do not change the content.