Lead is a naturally occurring metal found in the earth’s crust and has been used by people for thousands of years. While it has some beneficial uses, like its pliability and resistance to leaks which were useful in plumbing, it can be toxic to humans and animals.
When water leaves the Village’s treatment plant and travels through underground public water mains, it is not in contact with lead. Lead can enter treated drinking water when plumbing materials that contain lead corrode or those plumbing materials are disturbed. The most common sources of lead in drinking water are lead service lines/pipes, faucets, and fixtures, with the most significant source of lead typically being lead water service lines.
Lead levels, if any, are completely unique to each home due to the property’s plumbing materials, such as the presence of a lead water service line, lead solder, brass facets, fittings, and valves.
Lead service lines
- A service line is the pipe that connects your house to the water main in the street. Some service lines that run from older homes to the utility water main are made from lead. Over time, some older service lines have been replaced, but many older homes could still have one. It is possible for lead to leach into water when in contact with a lead service line, especially during long periods of time where the water is stagnant (i.e. no running water in the house).
Lead-tin solder joined copper pipes
- Copper piping has often been used since the 1930’s for home plumbing, but the solder (an alloy of tin with lead and antimony) used to fuse the pipes together typically contained elevated levels of lead prior to 1986, the year it was banned. It is possible for lead to leach into water when in contact with lead-tin solder, especially during long periods of time where the water is stagnant (i.e. no running water in the house).
Household faucets and fixtures
- Lead can also corrode from metal faucets and fixtures made from brass, an alloy of copper and zinc that often contains lead impurities, including chrome-plated brass fixtures. Therefore, a home with no copper or lead pipe may still have elevated lead levels due to brass fixtures. Plumbing fixtures with a lead content of less than 8% used to be legally defined as “lead free” but since 2014, “lead free” refers to fixtures with a lead content of 0.25% or less.
Please check with your certified plumber to identify any sources of lead in your home’s plumbing.
Lead Health Effects
According to the CDC, there is no safe exposure level to lead. Excessive levels of lead can damage the brain, kidneys, nervous system, red blood cells, and reproductive system. The degree of harm is directly related to the level of lead in the blood (from all sources of lead exposure). Health effects of lead can affect people in a variety of ways.
Young children, infants, and fetuses are most vulnerable to harmful effects of lead. Therefore, it is crucial to follow the steps below to reduce exposure to lead in drinking water, especially for children.
For more information regarding lead and health, visit the CDC website.
Reducing Lead Exposure In Water
The best way to reduce lead exposure in drinking water is to remove any sources of lead. However, the Village of Oak Park would like to assure its customers that the City of Chicago has had a corrosion control program for over 30 years. The corrosion control program utilizes a corrosion inhibitor which is a substance that can reduce the corrosivity of water toward metal plumbing materials, especially lead and copper, by forming a protective film on the interior surface of metal pipes. This protective film prevents lead and copper from being able to leach into the water.
However, for residents that would like to take additional steps to continue to reduce exposure to lead in water, please consider taking the following precautions.
Run the tap before use
Lead levels are likely at their highest when water has been sitting in a lead pipe for several hours. Clear this water from your pipes by running the cold water for 3-5 minutes before using. This allows you to draw fresh water from the Village’s water main. This water on can be used for house plants or to flush toilets.
Clean Aerators
Aerators are small attachments at the tips of faucets which regulate the flow of water. They can accumulate small particles of lead in their screens. It’s a good idea to remove your aerators at least monthly and clean them out.
Use Cold Water for Cooking and Drinking
Always cook, drink, and prepare baby formula with cold water, because hot water dissolves lead more quickly, resulting in higher levels in water.
Filter the Water
Many home water filters are effective at removing lead. If you purchase a filter, make sure it is certified to NSF/ANSI 53 and NSF/ANSI 42 for lead reduction and that you maintain it properly.
Identify Fixtures
Identify your plumbing fixtures that contain lead and replace them with lead free fixtures.
Do Not Boil
Boiling water will not reduce lead and could possibly increase lead concentrations.