Lead at the Tap: Sources and Control

Abstract

A survey of 94 water companies and districts was conducted in early 1988 to determine lead levels at customer taps and to evaluate the factors that influence these levels. The results of the survey indicate that lead‐based solder is the most significant source of lead at the tap. In addition, brass faucets were found to contribute substantially to the lead in the first‐draw samples. Although water quality and site characteristics cannot be used to predict lead levels, certain factors are associated with higher lead concentrations. Other than the presence of corrosion inhibitors, pH was the only water quality factor that appeared to influence lead levels at the tap. Site factors were also important, with plumbing age being the most significant.

Characterizing Golden Eagle Risk to Lead and Anticoagulant Rodenticide Exposure: A Review

“…Numerous analytical methods are available for measuring inorganic and organic lead 7. ANALYTICAL METHODS compounds in air, water, sediments, dust, paint, soil, fish, agricultural products, and foodstuffs (NEMI 2005a(NEMI , 2005b(NEMI , 2005c(NEMI , 2005dEckel and Jacob 1988;EPA 1982aEPA , 1986aEPA , 1988bEPA , 1989dEPA , 1989e, 1990EPA , 1994dLee et al 1989;Maenhaut et al 1979;Mielke 1993;Mielke et al 1983Mielke et al , 1984Mielke et al /1985Mielke et al , 1989. Most of these are sensitive and reliable for determining background concentrations of lead compounds in the environment and levels at which health effects might occur.…”

“…These data show that even plumbing that did not use lead solder for copper pipes (e.g., plastic pipes) contained significant levels of lead, primarily from the brass faucet fixtures, which are used in almost all plumbing. The brass fixtures may account for approximately one-third of the lead in the first-draw water (Lee et al 1989). Lead levels are also known to increase when tap water is heated in boiling kettles that contain lead in their heating elements.…”

“…Environmental monitoring data are available for lead in ambient air, indoor air, surface water, groundwater, drinking water, sediments, soils, and foodstuffs (Eckel and Jacob 1988;EPA 1982cEPA , 1986aEPA , 1988bEPA , 1989dEPA , 1989e, 1990Lee et al 1989;Maenhaut et al 1979;Mielke 1993;Mielke et al 1983Mielke et al , 1984Mielke et al /1985Mielke et al , 1989. More current data (1995)(1996) on lead in ambient and indoor air, drinking water, and foodstuffs for residents in Arizona, EPA Region V (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin), and Maryland are available through the NHEXAS (Bonanno et al 2001;Clayton et al 2002;O'Rourke et al 1999;Pellizzari et al 1999;Ryan et al 2000;Thomas et al 1999).…”

Pollution of drinking water transported by corroded metallic pipelines

“…It is more rapid and generalized when the PH-range is less than 7. Heavy metals in drinking water, such as lead (Pb ++ ), Copper (Cu ++ ), Zinc (Zn ++ ), and Iron (Fe ++ ), come from the corrosion of internally unprotected metallic water pipelines [4]. Municipal water must not only be treated for portability, but also for minimum corrosivity towards the distribution lines and the home plumbing system [4][5][6].…”

Aplicaciones de los modelos de calidad en la simulación de las redes de distribución de agua potable

“…El agua estancada en tuberías de plomo o en tuberías con accesorios que contienen aleaciones de plomo, como algunos elementos de grifería, puede alcanzar una elevada concentración de plomo (Lee et al 1989). Las tuberías de ciertos materiales plásticos son permeables a compuestos orgánicos cuando están localizadas en suelos contaminados por estas sustancias, como puede suceder en las inmediaciones de una gasolinera (Selleck y Marinas, 1991).…”