Steps You Can Take to Reduce Your Exposure
Steps You Can Take to Reduce Your Exposure To Lead and Copper
Despite our best efforts mentioned earlier to control water corrosivity and remove lead from the water supply, lead and copper levels in some homes or buildings can be high. To find out whether you need to take action in your own home, have your drinking water tested to determine if it contains excessive concentrations of lead and copper. Testing the water is essential because you cannot see, taste, or smell lead or copper in drinking water. For more information on having your water tested with a certified
laboratory you can contact the Water Department at 978-626-5226.
If a water test indicates that the drinking water drawn from a tap in your home contains lead above 15 ppb or copper above 1.3 ppm, then you should take the following precautions:
1. Flush Your System
Let the water run from the tap before using it for drinking or cooking any time the water in the faucet has gone unused for more than six hours. The longer water resides in your home’s plumbing the more lead or copper it may contain. Flushing the tap means running the cold water faucet until the water is noticeably colder, usually about 15-30 seconds. Although toilet flushing or showering flush water through a portion of your home’s plumbing system, you still need to flush the water in each faucet before using it for drinking or cooking. Flushing the water is a simple and inexpensive measure you can take to protect your family’s health. It usually uses less than one or two gallons of water and costs less than five cents per month. To conserve water fill a couple of bottles for drinking water after flushing the tap, and whenever possible use the fist flush water to wash the dishes or water the plants.
2. Use Only Cold Water for Cooking and Drinking
Try not to cook with, or drink water from the hot tap. Hot water dissolves lead and copper more quickly than cold water. If you need hot water, draw water from the cold tap and heat it on the stove.
3. Remove Loose Lead Solder and Debris
Remove loose lead solder and debris from the plumbing materials installed in newly constructed homes, or homes in which the plumbing has recently been replaced by removing the faucet strainers (aerators) from all taps and running the water from 3 to 5 minutes. Thereafter periodically remove the strainer (aerators) and flush out any debris that has accumulated over time.
4. Identify and Replace Lead Materials with Lead-Free Ones
If your copper pipes are joined with lead solder that has been installed illegally since it was banned in 1986, notify the plumber who did the work and request that he or she replace the lead solder with lead-free solder. Lead solder looks dull gray, and when scratched with a key looks shiny. In addition, notify your State Department of Environmental Protection about the violation.
5. Determine Whether Your Service Is Made of Lead
The best way to determine if your service line is made of lead is by either hiring a licensed plumber to inspect the line or by contacting the plumbing contractor who installed the line. You can identify the plumbing contractor by checking the town’s record of building permits which should be maintained in the files of the Plumbing Inspector at the Town Hall. A licensed plumber can at the same time check to see if your home’s plumbing contains lead solder, lead pipes or pipe fittings that contain lead. The Water Department also maintains records of the materials located in the distribution system. If the service line that connects your dwelling to the water main contributes more than 15 ppb to drinking water, after comprehensive treatment program is in place, the Water Dept. is required to provide you with information on how to replace your portion of the line at your expense and take a follow-up tap water sample within 14 days of the replacement. Acceptable replacement alternatives include 1″ copper pipe.
6. Have an Electrician Check Your Wiring
If grounding wires from the electrical system are attached to your pipes, corrosion may be greater. Check with a licensed electrician or your local electrical code to determine if your wiring can be grounded elsewhere. DO NOT attempt to change the wiring yourself because improper grounding can cause electrical shock.
Additional Steps:
The steps described above will reduce the lead and copper concentrations in your drinking water. However, if a water test indicates that the drinking water coming from your tap contains lead and copper concentrations in excess of the action levels after flushing, or after we have completed our actions to minimize lead levels, then you may want to take the following additional measures:
7. Purchase or Lease a Home Treatment Device
Home treatment devices are limited in that each unit treats only the water that flows from the faucet to which it is connected, and all of the devices requires periodic maintenance and replacement. Devices such as reverse osmosis systems or distillers can effectively remove lead and copper from your drinking water. Some activated carbon filters may reduce lead levels at the tap; however, all lead and copper reduction claims should be investigated. Be sure to check the actual performance of a specific home treatment device before and after installing the unit.
8. Purchase Bottled Water for Drinking or Cooking
