Lead is devastating to the human body, inhibiting calcium and oxygen transport and altering nerve transmission within the brain. Many lead poisoning takes place when people swallow lead paint chips or breathe in lead dust. The lead accumulates in soft tissue kidneys, bone marrow, liver, and brain and teeth and bones.
The only way to know whether your tap water contains lead is to get it tested. You simply cannot see, taste, or smell lead in drinking water. So, you will need to ask your water supplier whether your water has lead in it. For homes served by general public water systems, data on lead in tap water may be available regarding it on the internet from your local water authority. In the event your water provider doesn’t post this important information, you should call and find out, click on the link to find your water company. http://www.state.nj.us/bpu/assistance/utility/
High amounts of lead in tap water can cause health effects if the lead into the water enters the bloodstream and causes an elevated blood lead level.
Most research has revealed that exposure to lead-contaminated water alone wouldn’t be likely to elevate blood lead levels in most adults, even exposure to water with a lead content near to the EPA accomplishment amount for lead of 15 per billion.
Risk will vary, however, based on the individual, the circumstances, as well as the amount of water consumed. For example, infants who drink formula prepared with lead-contaminated water might be at a high risk since the big level of water they consume relative to their body size.
If your tap water has lead at amounts exceeding EPA’s action level of 15, you need to take action to minimize your exposure to the lead in the water.
You need to begin by asking your water specialist these questions:
1. What can you do to lower it below the EPA’s action level of fifteen parts per billion?
2. Does your service pipe from the street, have lead in it?
If the answer is no, then the next question is.
3. How do I check the pipes in my house for lead?
In case the pipe within the street doesn`t contain lead, the lead in your tap water might be coming from fixtures, pipes, or elsewhere in your home. Locating and removing these can be a long process and be very expensive. The best way to deal with this problem is with a water treatment system installed in your home by Aspen Water Solutions.
Unless you get rid of the source, you should take the following at any time you wish to utilize tap water for drinking or cooking, especially when the water happens to be off and sitting in the pipes for longer than 6 hours:
Before using of tap-water for consumption, drinking or food preparation, cooking, wash out your water system by running the kitchen tap or just about any tap you take drinking or cooking water from.
Then, fill a clean container with water with this tap. This water would be suitable for preparation, cooking, drinking of baby formula, or other consumption. To conserve water, collect multiple containers of water at once after you have got fully flushed the water through the tap as described.
Before the lead source is removed, you should take the following steps any time you wish to use tap water for drinking or cooking, particularly when the water has been off and sitting within the pipes for more than 6 hours unless you have a water treatment system installed.
Keep in mind that additional flushing is necessary: This is just our suggestion and you should consult your water utility first. For a free consultation give us a call 201-301-6222 and let us help you with this problem.
