lead in drinking water

People often ask how it’s possible for Lead to get into our drinking water and surprisingly it’s the combination of acidic water and corroding pipes. Lead is invisible, odorless and previously was the primary metal used to make pipes and fittings in older, American infrastructures. After water is treated at a plant, it’s PH is acidic and acts like a corrosive element pulling Lead out of old pipes and fittings. Thus, that is how Lead gets into our drinking water. Unfortunately, there is not much data for private properties connected to public water systems to know for sure if there are lead issues beyond the water coming from the public system. According to AWWA, testing water from your faucets in a qualified laboratory is the best way to measure your household Lead level. The EPA is also proposing a state certification officer to help legitimize consumer water testing as currently there is not a central source to turn to for reliable reporting.
Problems with high levels of lead in New Jersey drinking water caused the city to distribute water filters to residents last year. But the plan hit this week when the Environmental Protection Agency warned the city’s that drinking water in two of the three houses it tested still had high levels of lead, despite filters. The EPA advises New Jersey residents to stop drinking tap water and urges the city to provide bottled water (although the solution also poses a problem when the town finds out what is in the water. The expiration date).

How much lead in water is safe?

The Safe Drinking Water Act allows for a passable level of contaminants in drinking water that are considered non-harmful. These non-binding health goals, based solely on potential health risks, are called maximum contaminant level goals (MCLGs). The primary contaminant level for lead in drinking water is between 0– 15ppb. Exceeding 15ppb is harmful to human health due to the low levels of toxic metal. Your local water authority is always your first source for testing and detecting lead contamination in tap water. Many public water authorities have websites that provide data on the quality of drinking water, including lead tests.

Aquachill New Jersey provides a FREE LEAD Test. Also, you can visit the EPA gov site

Where does lead or copper in drinking water come from?

Many American homes that were built before 1986 contain plumbing made from Lead pipes. This plumbing is connected to a service channel that is connected to water company that distributes clean drinking water. The problem with clean drinking water is that it typically has a high acidity which can corrode the Lead piping. Therefore, a household may have an issue with Lead in their water coming from either the home’s plumbing or the service channel plumbing or both. Beyond Lead issues, there could be Copper issues too. Sometimes homes that don’t have Lead piping can still find levels of Lead o Copper in their water from fixtures in the home. Most common are chrome-plated copper faucets and lead soldered pipes.

To determine if you have Lead in your water, you will need to get it tested. Water service authorities often test for Lead during routine maintenance and emergency calls, but that doesn’t insure your home is safe. Testing involves either simply sampling the water or using special filters. Aqua Chill offers free Lead Testing. Additionally, Aqua Chill offers Reverse Osmosis filtration that can remove Lead, Copper and more for as low as $1 a day.

What is the best Drinking Water Filter to remove Lead?

The State of New Jersey has taken steps to distribute carbon filters to select cities that have beyond acceptable levels of Lead. However, Carbon filters need to be replaced every 2-3 months to maintain efficacy. The best option, if available, is to use REVERSE OSMOSIS Filtration. Not only does Reverse Osmosis use a Carbon filter, but it also uses a sediment filter and thin film composite membrane and together the 3 filters are the most efficient in removing particulates like Lead and Copper out of water. When using filters always make sure they are approved by the NSF, WQA, or another certification body.