Die Bleibelastung des niedersächsischen Trinkwassers verursacht durch Korrosion von Rohrleitungsmaterialien

Abstract

In the project in total 2,901 tap water samples from households were collected between the years 2005 and 2007. Of these, 7.5% had lead concentrations exceeding 10 microg/L (recommended limit of the World Health Organisation) and 3.3% had concentrations above the limit of the German drinking water ordinance (25 microg/L). There were remarkable regional differences in the frequency of tap water contamination. Multi-family houses were more frequently affected than single and double family houses. Additional data were collected in a preceding study in southern Lower Saxony. Of the 1 434 stagnation samples, 3.1% had lead concentrations greater than 10 microg/L and 0.6% had concentrations above the former limit of the German drinking water regulations of 40 microg/L.

Release of Metals from Different Sections of Domestic Drinking Water Installations

“…There were remarkable regional differences in the frequency of tap water contamination. Multi-family houses were more frequently affected than single-and double-family houses (Zietz et al 2009(Zietz et al , 2010. Most of the samples investigated in the present study were taken in the same area.…”

“…In particular in the Roman realm it was used in large quantities for the building of water supply systems and pressure pipes (Warren 2000). In Germany and other countries the heavy metal lead was used for water pipes until the beginning of the 1970s in a locally different extent (Zietz et al 2001b(Zietz et al , 2009). In 1973 a new technical standard for plumbing was issued excluding lead as a material for drinking water pipes in Germany.…”

“…As a consequence it can be supposed that since the year 1974 no new lead plumbing has been installed (Arts and Bretschneider 1984). On the other hand many old lead pipes still exist and lead pipes were frequently replaced only in parts (Zietz et al 2001b(Zietz et al , 2009. This leads to installations composed of different pipe metals (e.g.…”

“…Regional differences in plumbing: Regarding the frequency of lead plumbing and elevated lead concentrations in the investigated region, there are the results of Zietz et al (2009Zietz et al ( , 2010: In Lower Saxony a free examination of drinking water was offered for private households with young women and families with children living in buildings constructed before 1974. Participants were asked to collect a cold tap water sample in their household after nocturnal stagnation and to complete a questionnaire.…”

Lead in Drinking Water as a Public Health Challenge

“…In 2005 in the northern German state of Lower Saxony, a prevention program was initiated comprising three different approaches at the same time to achieve a widespread effect. To assess the present state of drinking water contamination with lead, a free examination of lead in tap water (after nocturnal stagnation) was offered in cooperation with local public health departments for private households that included young women and families with children (Zietz et al 2007, 2009). Along with the collection of data, the program aimed to focus public attention on this public health problem.…”