Lead in water: It is dangerous to children’s health
In past, whether you have been informed or not informed about the risks of lead poisoning, but now there is a rule change effective December 10 that will require water utility companies to test the quantity of lead more stringently and promptly and thoroughly inform consumers of any problems, the Environmental Protection Agency announced. This came after it was revealed in 2004 that lead levels in
High-level quantity of lead can cause many health hazards for both children and adults. In children, too-high levels can delay mental and physical development and cause a host of health problems, including reduced IQ, attention deficit disorder, and hearing loss. Adults can end up with high blood pressure and kidney problems as a result of too much lead in their system.
It is revealed that most exposure comes from swallowing or breathing in paint chips or dust, but the EPA estimates that about 10 percent to 20 percent comes from drinking water; in formula-fed infants, the figure is 40 to 60 percent.
Since regulators have phased lead out of gasoline and other products since the 1980s, the severity of the exposure problem has dropped dramatically. In 1978, for example, 13.5 million children had elevated blood levels; in 2002, the number had dropped to 310,000.
But now many scientists argue that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s current threshold of concern—10 micrograms per deciliter of blood—is too high. They worry that any level of lead exposure is harmful.
In July of 1991, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established an action level for lead in public drinking water at 15 micrograms per liter, which is the same as 15 parts per billion (ppb).
Water suppliers must routinely test household tap water to check lead levels. If lead levels in the water are above the EPA action level and can not be quickly corrected, the water supplier is required to notify homeowners and take steps to reduce lead levels in the drinking water.