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Lead
Lead is tasteless, odorless, and colorless
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and can find its way into your water via
soldered pipe connections. Lead-based solder was used in homes built
as recently as 1987. Some homes may even have lead piping.
But lead pipes and solder aren't the only
sources of potential contamination inside the home. Many brands of faucets
on the market today also contain some amount of lead that can leach into the
water. In addition, some glazed ceramics or leaded crystal can contribute
to the lead problem.
Excessive amounts of lead
in the body can delay physical and mental development in babies and young
children. Adults exposed to lead may experience hearing difficulties
and, in extreme cases, could experience kidney damage, heart damage, and
mental retardation. The body does not readily process lead, allowing it to
build up over years of exposure. The greatest risk is to those who are
exposed at a very early age and then continue to have contact as they
mature.
Since lead crosses the
placenta easily, its presence in tap water in high concentrations can also
cause miscarriage, premature birth, and low birth weight babies. Water is
not the only source of lead exposure, however. The main source of lead
poisoning in children is from paint in homes built before 1980. The EPA
estimates that drinking water contributes 10 - 20% of total lead exposure in
young children.
The American Academy of
Pediatrics, as well as the CDC, recommend that all children be screened for
lead exposure at one and two years of age.
Given the scope of the
concern, the EPA has studied the lead exposure issue in depth, and has
issued the following estimates and summaries:
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Approximately 15% of
the nation's households have lead in their faucets, pipes, and well
pumps. |
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At any point in time, more
than 560,000 children in the U.S. have unacceptably high levels of lead
in their blood, which could lead to neurological problems. |
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In 1992, 130 U.S.
cities had excessive levels of lead in their drinking water supplies
(when measured at consumers' taps). |
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Smaller cities that
have less sophisticated treatment facilities had especially high levels
of lead in their drinking water. |
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