How Does Lead Get into My Water?

Lead supply pipes are typically the cause behind lead-based water issues. Pipes that were installed decades ago can corrode creating high acidity and low mineral counts in your tap water. Here are the three primary sources of lead in drinking water:

• Lead Pipes – The lines that connect your home to the city water supply were likely placed decades ago. In 1986, Congress created legislation to ban lead-based pipes and materials. The pipes run under our city streets and homes and are slowly being replaced by more superior and safe materials.
• Lead Solder – When plumbing is constructed, pipes are fitted together with solder. While using a lead-based solder is now banned, many older pipes are still in place and distributing trace amounts of lead in our tap water.
• Lead Alloy – This is a brass material used in various places in our homes like faucets and shower-heads. The alloy is allowed in trace amounts at a .25%.

When Should You Get a Lead Water Test?

There is never a “right” time to get a lead-based water quality test, but it really comes down to a few different factors as to when to have a test done.

• Your Water is Different – If your water tastes, looks or smells different at any time, that would be the first sign something might be wrong. Get a professional lead water test done to ensure that your water is safe.
• Post Construction – Construction projects tend to disrupt our drinking water supply. If you’ve had a major project happen in your property, you might consider having your water tested for chemicals and lead.
• Purchasing a Home – Particularly with older homes, a water quality test performed when purchasing a home is a good time to understand the condition of the piping based off the test report.
• Medical Issues in Gastro-Tract – Stomach bugs and unexplained bathroom visits might be a sign of a bigger problem. If gastro tract issues are present, it might be a good time for a water test for lead and bacteria.
• When You’re Expecting – Lead has a significant impact on unborn infants and young children. The EPA suggests water tests as soon as you learn that you’re expecting. After the baby is born, they also recommend having the water tested again within 6-months.

If you have questions about how lead water quality tests are done or how they can impact the health of your family, contact us today and let us answer your questions. These tests are done easily on site (without a lab), so you know exactly what is happening with your water.  For more information visit our Water Quality Testing page.

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This brings up some interesting questions about water quality, two of which are:

• Why does water quality matter to me?
• Why should I get a water test before purchasing a home?

We attempt to answer these questions to the best of our ability below.

Why does water quality matter to me?

To be fair, some of you may find this question obvious, but maybe not to all. Let’s start with a statistic:

When it comes to water, only about half of Americans are very confident in the safety of what’s flowing from their tap, according to an Associated Press-GfK poll, which found that trust is even weaker among minorities and people with lower incomes. –Ed White and Emily Swanson | ASSOCIATED PRESS

Roughly half of all Americans don’t fully trust drinking their tap water. This is because of many contaminants that have been found in the public water system. This ranges from lead to chlorine to pH imbalances, or nitrates in some areas. Some of these contaminants are harmful and some are not. Some are safe but can cause the water to taste differently. The most important thing is to be aware of what you are drinking and be able to make educated decisions as to whether or not to take action.

The most asked about and most dangerous substance that is found in local tap water is lead. This is one of the contaminants that we test for. Lead can cause adverse side effects in humans as it is a toxin to the brain. Young children are especially susceptible to lead poisoning, which can cause learning disabilities and life-long brain functionality issues. Because of this, it makes sense that mitigation of lead in water is a high priority.

How does lead get into our water?

Unfortunately, lead poisoning was not always a known issue. In fact, lead was a very common material for water supply piping for a very long time in the U.S.  Much of it still exists today. Also, many older houses may have active lead supply pipes within the home, and, as water flows through these pipes, it is possible that the interior of the piping will corrode and contaminate the passing stream causing an increased lead level, higher than what the EPA says is safe. This degrades your water quality.

Because of the pathway water takes from the treatment facility to your home, it is important to test it at the tap and not rely solely on the public water reports.

Because of this network of pipes, public water leaving the treatment plant may have different levels of contaminants than what ends up coming out of the tap. This is why it is very important to perform a water quality test on a house-by-house basis.

Although lead is currently in the hot seat in the news and the public eye, there are other water quality issues as well. For example, the amount of chlorine found in tap water is very important. Chlorine is a product used to kill bacteria found in water supply systems before it is sent to your home. Some chlorine should be found in your water to ensure that no bacteria is living in it, but you don’t want too much either. Because of this, testing for proper chlorine level is very important.

During our Water Quality Test, we test for lead, chlorine, and more. See the full list here.

Why Should I Get A Water Test Before Purchasing A Home?

Before moving into a new home is the best time to perform a water quality test. During your purchase process, you are likely already performing a home inspection and possibly other tests as well. Having a water test done during this time is ideal since you are already in the learning and mitigating process.

Moving to a new area likely means you also will have a new public water supply as well. There is a lot of information on each public water distributor. However, testing the water right at the tap is fast and easy, and it gives you a clear picture of that home’s water quality. Occasionally, during a home inspection, we can’t always see items, like lead supply pipes, that may affect the quality of the home’s tap water. This would likely be uncovered with a water test.

Another good reason for performing a water test as part of the inspection is to allow for any mitigation costs into your negotiations. If elevated levels of a contaminant are found in your water supply,  something will likely need to be done. Luckily, most water issues can be mitigated in some form or another, but many of these systems require installation or specialized equipment. Occasionally, you can negotiate these costs into your contract since it can be a health-related item. Inquire with your real estate professional for a better understanding of this process, and how these issues are typically addressed.

If you have further questions on water quality or would like more information about our specific Water Quality Test, feel free to leave a comment below or send us an email.

This add-on inspection is now available in south Denver and Colorado Springs in addition to our regular service areas.

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