Learning About LeadWater Quality

When it comes to the quality of our drinking water, one of the most worrying contaminants for homeowners is lead. For good reason: Lead is toxic. And, research shows that exposure to the smallest amounts can be harmful, especially to children*.

Lead in your water: how does it get there?
In truth, the amount of lead in our natural water sources is low. It gets into our drinking water because it is leached into the water supply by lead service lines (pipes that connect your home to the main supply), lead pipes in the house, lead solder in your plumbing, or brass fixtures, such as faucets.

Homes built in Canada before 1950 commonly used leaded distribution lines and service connections, so if someone owns a house built prior to this, lead may be a concern. As well, The National Plumbing Code considered lead to be an acceptable material for pipes until 1975, and it was also allowed in solder up until 1986.

Protect your water source and your family
Make sure your pipes are safe: If you are worried about the possibility of lead in your water, you can start by contacting your municipality or water utility, where you will be able to find out if there are lead service lines in your neighbourhood and you can also enquire about having your tap water tested for lead content.

If your home is still being serviced by a lead connection to the city's main supply, it can be replaced. (Many municipalities across the country offer incentive programs to homeowners to reduce the cost of this service.) This is one way to eliminate lead from leaching into your water.

If only a portion of a lead service is removed, however, there could be future issues. Also, when a pipe is replaced, lead particles can remain in the house supply for up to two or three months. If you have replaced lead pipes, it's wise to monitor the levels of lead through testing, and treat drinking water through filtration.

You can also have any pipes, fittings or faucets that contain lead replaced with safer, certified products.

Health Canada recommends contacting your doctor for blood work if you are concerned that you have been exposed to lead.

Filter your water: Another way to protect your water and your family is by filtering your drinking water and the water you cook with. It's important to note that any lead that may be present in drinking water is not absorbed well through the skin. Any exposure from showering, bathing, dishwashing or cleaning is not harmful. The real concern comes from the water you ingest - through drinking or cooking - and the source of that water, which is usually the kitchen tap*.

In this case, there are a variety of water treatment products designed to remove lead from tap water. Make sure that these products are certified to NSF International Standards for the removal of lead. (NSF International is an independent, not-for-profit organization that provides standards development, product certification, auditing, educations and risk management for public health and safety.)

• Carbon-based water filters are one option, and are available in various models, from water pitchers and faucet-mount designs to under-counter units which are connected to pipes under the kitchen sink.
• Reverse osmosis systems, which work by forcing pressurized water through a plastic membrane, and are used to remove a range of impurities from water including heavy metals.
• Distillation treatment systems, which disinfect water by boiling it to a vapour, are another option as they also eliminate metals.

Whichever method you choose, these products are easy to install, easy to use, and more importantly, a simple way to make your water safer.

*For more information, see Health Canada, http://hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/pubs/water-eau/lead-plomb-eng.php