  |
|
|
Consumer Protection Information About Home Lead Hazards
Lead in drinking water usually comes from water distribution lines or a building's plumbing rather than from the water system source. Plumbing materials containing lead corrode and release lead when they are in contact with water. Lead may be present if there are:
The Environmental Protection Agency estimates between 10 and 20 percent of total lead exposures in young children are from drinking water. The only way to find out if water has lead is to have it tested by a certified laboratory. Consumer filtration devices may not be effective.
Factors that Can Increase Corrosion
Lead-contaminated drinking water is most often a problem in buildings that are either very old or very new.
As time passes, mineral deposits form a coating on the inside of the pipes (if the water is not corrosive). This coating insulates the water from the solder. But, during the first five years (before the coating forms) water is in direct contact with the lead. More likely than not, water in buildings less than five years old has high levels of lead contamination. Lead levels in water decrease as the building ages.
New brass faucets and fittings can also leach lead, even though they are "lead-free."
For information on local water quality, contact your County or the Washington State Department of Health.
Department of Health Regional Division of Drinking Water Offices:
Lead and drinking water information and publications are available on the Department of Health Regional Division of Drinking Water homepage http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/dw/ Exit Ecology
They test drinking water for lead and will give advice about collecting and shipping water samples. The Laboratory is at 1610 Northeast 150th Street, in Seattle, Washington, 98115.
Environmental Protection Agency Drinking Water Information
The EPA Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water has information and recommendations for actions that can reduce lead in drinking water.
The publication, "Lead in Your Drinking Water, Actions You Can Take to Reduce Lead in Drinking Water", EPA/810-F-93-001, June 1993, is available on-line at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/Pubs/lead1.html Exit Ecology
Other lead and drinking water publications are also available in English and Spanish at the EPA Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water homepage http://www.epa.gov/safewater/ Exit Ecology.
The EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline is 1-800-426-4791
Lead in food usually comes from the container but it may come from water used to prepare the food or food that has been contaminated with lead dirt or dust and not washed. Lead cannot be seen on food. Containers with lead are usually
Normally some calcium is transferred from a pregnant or nursing mother's bones to her baby. If a mother has lead in her bones the lead will transfer to the fetus or the nursing infant as well as calcium.
Children are usually lead poisoned by deteriorating lead-based paint, lead contaminated dust, and lead contaminated residential soil.
Children under six are especially sensitive to lead poisoning because they play in lead-contaminated dirt or house dust then swallow the lead from dirty hands and faces with their food. Some children deliberately eat paint or dirt because they like the taste -a habit called pica.
Estimated Lead Levels in Average Pre 1950 Seattle Homes
The Washington Toxics Coalition estimated the amount of lead a child may be exposed to in older Seattle homes in their 1990 fact sheet Reducing Exposure to Lead in Older Homes. An engineer specializing in home toxics conducted the study. Call the Washington Toxics Coalition Exit Ecology at (206) 632-1545 for copies of this or other home toxics fact sheets.
The average lead level per square meter of interior carpet was
Additional Lead Poisoning Risks for Eastern Washington Children
| Data from the State Department of Health Childhood Lead Registry indicates the combination of both residential lead and additional lead from lead arsenate pesticides in local soils cause higher lead poisoning risks for children in central and eastern Washington. A copy of the Department of Health News Release, dated August 16, 1999 (99-64), is available from DOH at (360) 236-4077 or on the DOH web site at http://www.doh.wa.gov/Topics/WALeadScreenRecommend.docExit Ecology. |
National Lead Information Center (NLIC)
The National Lead Information Center (NLIC) Exit Ecology provides the general public and professionals with information about lead hazards and their prevention. NLIC operates under a contract with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), with funding from the Environmental Protection Agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
To receive a general information packet, to order other documents, or for detailed information or questions, call the Center's clearinghouse and speak with a specialist Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 6:00 pm EST:
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
The following on-line publications are available from EPA’s Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics - Public Education Resources Exit Ecology. You can also order documents and request information about Lead Poisoning and Lead Hazards through the National Lead Information Center (NLIC) Exit Ecology at 1-800-424-LEAD. Some documents are available in Spanish and other formats.
Title: "Lead in Your Home: A Parent's Reference Guide" Exit Ecology (PDF format, 2,128 KB, 67 pages)
A new guide for parents and homeowners about lead hazards and lead poisoning prevention in the home. This book is intended for people who already know that lead is a potential problem and who want to learn more about what they can do to help prevent lead poisoning and reduce lead hazards. Individual copies are free from the National Lead Information Center.
Title: "Protect
Your Family From Lead in Your Home" Exit Ecology (PDF format)
(April 1999 Edition). Also available in Spanish and other formats
General information about lead and lead hazards, including the names and phone numbers of where to get additional help.
Title: "Reducing Lead Hazards When Remodeling Your Home" Exit Ecology, September 1997 (EPA 747-K-97-001). This version replaces the previous version of April 1994. (PDF format). Also available in Spanish (EPA 747-K-97-002) from the National Lead Information Center Exit Ecology.
A pamphlet for anyone involved in a home improvement project - whether you are actually doing the work yourself or overseeing the work of renovation and remodeling professionals.
Title: "Testing Your Home for Lead in Paint, Dust, and Soil" Exit Ecology, October 1998 (EPA 747-K-98-001). (PDF format)
For anyone who is considering having a home or residence tested for lead in paint, dust, or soil by a professional. It explains the technical aspects of lead testing without overwhelming the reader.
A Consumer Product Safety Commission Safety Alert, Document #5055, warns about the Hazards of "Do It Yourself" Removal of Lead Based Paint. The document is at http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/5055.html Exit Ecology