Can You Get Lead Poisoning from Well Water?

EPA estimates that drinking water can make up 20 percent or more of a person's total exposure to lead. For infants who consume mostly mixed formula, the exposure from drinking water can be as high as 40 percent to 60 percent. In rare cases, ingestion of lead can cause severe health issues such as seizures, coma, and even death.

How Does Lead Enter Well Water?

Well water can be contaminated with lead due to leaching from industrial effluents. For example, wastewater from the battery, paint, and leaded petrol industries can contaminate well water. To ensure your well water is safe, it is essential to get it analyzed. The permissible lead content is set at 15 parts per billion (ppb).

Exposure to Lead: Sources Beyond Well Water

Besides well water, exposure to lead can come from a variety of sources including:

Inhalation: Burning materials containing lead, such as during smelting, recycling, stripping lead paint, using leaded gasoline, or leaded aviation fuel. Ingestion: Consuming lead-contaminated dust, drinking water from lead pipes, and food from lead-glazed or lead-soldered containers. High levels of lead have been found in certain types of kohl and traditional medicines used in countries such as India, Mexico, and Vietnam. Unregulated Cosmetics and Medicines: Certain unregulated cosmetics and medicines, like kohl, have been found to contain high levels of lead.

Lead in Drinking Water Through Plumbing

The most common sources of lead in drinking water are lead pipes, faucets, and fixtures. In homes with lead pipes connecting the home to the water main, these pipes are often the greatest contributors to lead in the water. Lead pipes are more prone to be found in older cities and homes built before 1986. The longer the water remains static in the plumbing system, the more lead can dissolve into the water.

Regulations and Solutions

The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) has stringent regulations to reduce the maximum allowable lead content in drinking water. Compliance with these regulations includes regular inspections and removing or replacing lead pipes and fixtures in homes. Homeowners can install filters that are certified to reduce lead levels to ensure safe drinking water.

Conclusion

To safeguard your health and the health of your family, it is crucial to regularly check and maintain plumbing systems, especially if you rely on well water. If you suspect that your drinking water might be contaminated, testing it for lead levels is the first step towards a safe and healthy living environment.