Why is lead in CT water a concern and who should test for it?
Lead can enter our bodies in the food we eat, the air we breathe and the water we drink. Lead can be harmful to health and cause problems when it builds up in the body. Too much lead in the human body can cause serious damage to the brain, nervous system and red blood cells.
Pregnant women and young children are at the greatest risk even when their exposure is to low levels of lead for short periods of time. Young children between the ages of six months and six years are more likely to suffer health problems from lead exposure.
Too much exposure to lead can result in lead poisoning, which can slow a child’s physical growth and mental development and can cause behavior problems, mental retardation, kidney and liver damage, blindness and even death. This is why testing for lead is important.
If you live in a structure in Connecticut that was built before 1986, then the plumbing may contain lead pipes, lead solder, or lead materials. The lead in these pipes can dissolve into your drinking water.
Lead in drinking water usually results from the use of lead pipe in water systems or lead based solder on water pipes. Water in the plumbing system can dissolve lead from pipes and solder. This is called leaching. Soft, corrosive or acidic (low pH) water is more likely to cause leaching. Water left standing in the pipes over a long period of time also increases leaching.
The longer the water stands in the pipes, the greater the possibility of lead being dissolved into the water. In addition some faucets in your CT home or property may have higher lead content than others so in some instances water samples from each should be tested. Stray electrical currents from improperly grounded electrical outlets or equipment also may increase the level of lead in drinking water. And pipes that carry drinking water from the source to homes can contribute lead to the drinking water, if the pipes were constructed or repaired using lead materials.
To see if your water contains toxic levels of lead call today 888-558-1574. “Near me, in my area, in CT?” Yes!
