United States Office of Prevention, EPA747-F-94-001
Environmental Protection Pesticides, and Toxic Substances April 1994
Agency (7404)
°/EPA
Environmental
Fact Sheet
LEAD LEACHING FROM
SUBMERSIBLE WELL PUMPS
Introduction
Lead is an element that is found in air, food, paint, dust, soil, and drinking water. The
Environmental Protection Agency estimates that on average, we receive 15 to 20 percent of our
total lead intake from drinking water. Lead exposure has been associated with a wide range
of risks including delays in normal mental and physical development, impaired learning
abilities in young children, and at extreme exposure levels, irreversible damage to the brain.
This feet sheet is concerned with drinking water submersible well pumps. Some submersible
well pumps are made of stainless steel and plastic components but the majority are constructed
with brass fittings contained in a cast brass housing. While the plastic and stainless pumps do
not pose a problem with lead leaching, EPA is concerned for residents of homes and other
buildings with submersible well pumps made with brass fittings, because the brass alloys used
in such pumps contain lead. These pumps have the potential to leach high levels of lead into
drinking water, especially if the water is soft and corrosive.
What Is A Submersible Well Pump?
A submersible well pump is typically four inches in diameter and is specially designed to fit
into a water well pipe. Lead can leach into drinking water when water sits in contact with the
brass in the pump. This could create a health risk with the water pumped into the home or
other building by the pump.
Is There A Certification Program For Well Pumps?
NSF International (NSF) is an independent certification and testing organization in the areas
of environmental and public health. NSF develops voluntary standards for various products
and provides testing and certification against those standards. ANSI/NSF Standard 61 is part
of the NSF Drinking Water Additives Program and it addresses the health effects concerns of
indirect water additives, including lead. Section 8.0 of Standard 61 outlines the requirements
for various mechanical plumbing devices that contact drinking water, including submersible
Recycled/Recyclable
Printed on paper that contains
at least 50% recyded fiber
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well pumps. Currently, one brand of pump has been evaluated, test and certified by NSF
against Standard 61, Section 8.0. Others have applied for Certification and are being evaluated.
What Is The Environmental Protection Agency Doing?
Although EPA does not regulate individual home water wells, it does regulate public water
systems, those serving 15 or more connections or those that regularly serve at least 25
individuals, to monitor for lead and install corrosion control treatment if lead is found in excess
of 15 parts per billion lead in more than 10 percent of homes tested. EPA is in the process
of testing lead leaching levels from submersible well pumps. Laboratory and statistical
analysis of the lead leaching data will be performed to determine to what extent lead leaching
from water pumps poses a public health concern to anyone using them.
What Should You Do?
If you are uncertain about the composition of your pump, or you know it contains brass
components, you should get your drinking water tested. Select a certified laboratory in your
area and be sure to follow the proper EPA sampling protocol. The protocol can be obtained
from EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791). EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline
can provide you with the name, address, and phone number of your State lab certification
officer. They, in turn, can provide a list of State-certified laboratories.
If your submersible well pump was installed within the last year, EPA advises you to drink
bottled water while you wait for the results of the laboratory analysis. EPA's action level for
lead is 15 parts per billion. If the test results indicate that your drinking water has lead levels
above the action level, there are several steps you can take. There are a number of cartridge
and reverse osmosis filtering devices that are available to remove lead from drinking water at
the tap. NSF International evaluates and certifies both bottled water and drinking water
treatment devices, the latter with regard to lead reduction performance. Lists of certified
products are available from NSF upon request. The Water Quality Association (WQA) can
provide advice on treatment units for specific uses at home. As a last resort, you may want
to replace the existing water pump with a stainless steel model. However, this option is
expensive, and still may not eliminate all the lead in your drinking water, because some of the
lead produced by the pump may have settled out in different parts of the home's piping. In
addition, other components of the home plumbing system, such as solder, brass fittings, and
faucets are also potential sources of lead.
For More Information
For more information about lead in drinking water, contact the EPA Safe Drinking Water
Hotline at 800-426-4791 or the National Lead Information Center at 800-424-LEAD. For more
information about the NSF drinking water additives, bottled water, or drinking water treatment
unit programs contact NSF International at 3475 Plymouth Road P.O. Box 130140 Ann Arbor,
Ml 48113-0140 (313)769-5106. WQA can be contacted at (708)505-0161, ext. 270.
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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT LEAD AND SUBMERSIBLE WELL PUMPS
Drinking water from wells using submersible pumps made of brass or bronze
may contain lead at levels that could pose risks to human health. This
document uses a question and answer format to address issues that may
concern the affected public.
Extent of the Problem
1. How did EPA become aware of this problem?
In laboratory tests, several models of new, previously unused submersible
pumps with brass and bronze components have been found to leach high levels
of lead into the water that comes in contact with these pumps. The findings
of these tests indicate cause for concern to users of such pumps and a need
for further research. EPA is not aware of data from field studies designed
specifically to collect information on the extent of lead leaching from brass
and/or bronze submersible pumps.
2. Who may be affected?
Anyone who gets drinking water from a well with a submersible well pump that
has brass or bronze parts may be affected. Most likely this includes people
who get their drinking water from individual, household wells. People who get
their drinking water from large Public Water Systems are not likely to be
affected because of dilution effects from high flow rates and treatment at the
water plant.
People with individual wells will need to test the water themselves (see
Questions 12 through 16, below). Although Public Water Systems are required
by the Lead and Copper Rule to monitor for lead at household taps, your home
may not have been included in the sampling. If you are concerned, you can
contact the water system to find out when/if monitoring occurred and what
lead levels were found in your community. People who have submersible
pumps that are made of plastic and stainless steel components are not affected
since pumps made out of these materials should not leach lead.
3. What is a submersible well pump?
A submersible well pump is a water pump in which the pump is submerged in
the water that is pumped. The usual well-pumping depth is 40 to 500 feet.
The four-inch diameter submersible pumps are the most commonly used pumps
in private wells, as well as in very small Public Water Systems.
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4. What factors influence how much lead can leach from submersible well pumps?
The amount of lead that may leach from a submersible well pump can vary,
depending on how much brass or bronze is used, how the brass or bronze parts
are made, the age of the pump, and the corrosivity of the water. If you cannot
tell for sure that your pump contains brass or bronze parts, the manufacturer
should know; also the pump manual or brochure may also have this
information. See Question 7. All but a few brands of submersible pumps use
brass or bronze components that can leach lead. The only way for you to
determine if your submersible well pump is leaching lead is to have your water
tested. See Questions 12 through 16 for more information on how to take a
tap water sample from your home.
5. What is EPA doing about lead leaching from submersible well pumps?
EPA is in the process of testing lead leaching from five major models of four-
inch diameter submersible well pumps. The five models include four models
made with brass fittings, and one model made with stainless steel and plastic
components. EPA will evaluate the extent of lead leaching from these
submersible pumps and determine whether the performance standard for well
pumps established by NSF International requires modification. If so, EPA will
provide technical information and recommendations to NSF International. NSF
International is an independent certification and testing organization in the areas
of environmental and public health. NSF International develops voluntary
standards for various products and provides product testing and certification
against those standards.
6. What is brass (also called bronze in some products)?
Brasses and bronzes are metal alloys containing copper and zinc. Although not
a major component of these alloys, lead is typically added to copper and zinc
to improve the machinability of the alloy. Many pump casings and other parts
of submersible pumps currently on the market are made of lead-containing
brass or bronze.
7. How can I tell if my submersible well pump has parts made of brass or bronze?
To find out if a submersible well pump has components that are made of brass
or bronze, you should check with the manufacturer of the well pump. If you
get your water from a Public Water System, you can contact the system to see
if it uses submersible well pumps that are made of brass or bronze. The
telephone number for your Public Water System will be printed on your water
bill. If you are unable to determine whether a submersible pump contains brass
or bronze from either of these sources, you should have your tap water tested
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to see if lead is leaching into your water, and determine its source The
presence of lead in public water supply systems is most likely due to from the
plumbing rather than from the pump. See Questions 12 through 16 for more
information on how to take a tap water sample from your home.
8. What about non-submersible pumps?
EPA has not collected data regarding whether non-submersible well pumps
leach lead, nor is EPA aware of data collected outside the Agency. The
problem with lead leaching from submersible pumps has to do with brass or
bronze fittings and casings which are in constant contact with water. Hand
pumps or single stage shallow well pumps that contain brass or bronze
components that are in constant contact with the well water could also leach
lead. If you suspect that a non-submersible pump contains brass or bronze
parts, you should have your water tested. See Questions 12 through 16 for
more information on how to test your water.
9. Didn't the Lead Ban prohibit the amount of lead in well pumps?
The Lead Ban, passed by Congress in 1986, affects all Public Water Systems
and requires that only "lead free" pipe, solder or flux may be used in the
installation or repair of (1) Public Water Systems, or (2) any plumbing in a
residential or non-residential facility providing water for human consumption,
which is connected to a Public Water System. "Lead free" means that solders
and flux may not contain more than 0.2 percent lead, and that pipes, pipe
fittings and well pumps may not contain more than 8.0 percent lead.
The Lead Ban does not apply to private wells, although manufacturers of
submersible pumps are generally following the 8.0 percent lead limit anyway.
However, EPA has found that submersible pumps are still leaching lead into
water even though they have no more than 8.0 percent lead and meet the Lead
Ban's definition of "lead free".
10. What is the definition of a Public Water System (PWS)?
Public Water System means a system for the provision to the public of piped
water for human consumption, if such a system has at least fifteen service
connections or regularly serves an average of at least twenty-five individuals
daily at least 60 days out of the year. A Public Water System is (1) any
collection, treatment, storage and distribution facilities under control of the
operator of such system, and (2) any collection or pretreatment storage
facilities not under such control which are used primarily in connection with
such system. (40 CFR § 141.2)
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11. Are there any EPA regulations for water quality in private wells?
The Federal regulations under the Safe Drinking Water Act apply to Public
Water Systems. These regulations do not apply to private wells serving
individual households. Individual States may regulate well water quality Most
States have building codes which affect well construction practices Many
individuals with private wells use the EPA's regulations for Public Water
Systems as guidance for the quality of their well water. Two publications
Citizen Monitoring: Recommendations to Household Well Users (EPA 570/9-90-
006, dated April 1 990) and Drinking Water From Household Wells (EPA 570/9-
90-013, dated September 1990) are available by contacting the Safe Drinkinq
Water Hotline at 800-426-4791.
Steps for the Consumer
12. How can I tell if there is lead in my drinking water?
Detecting lead in drinking water requires that the water be tested. Since the
EPA has regulated lead in drinking water supplied by Public Water Systems, the
Agency has specified which methods are approved for testing lead EPA
recommends the use of a lab that is certified to perform these specific tests on
drinking water. The Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 800-426-4791 can provide
a phone number in each State that you can call and request a list of
laboratories certified to test lead in drinking water.
13. Are there any home test kits that can be used to check lead in drinking water?
There are no home test kits that are EPA approved to test for lead. EPA
recommends a State Certified Laboratory for testing lead in drinking water. To
obtain a list of laboratories in your area, you can contact the Safe Drinkinq
Water Hotline at 800-426-4791 for the telephone number of your State
Certification Officer who will provide you with this list.
14. What is the sampling protocol I should follow to test my water for lead supplied
from an individual well?
Household water supplies from individual wells include various designs. Most
systems include a storage tank, where water is held before it is distributed
through the house. To determine the contribution of lead from the plumbing
including faucets and solder, collect a 250 ml (one quarter of a liter, or about
8.5 ounces) sample. This sample should be collected after the water in the
plumbing has sat motionless for several hours (e.g., first thing in the morning)
without allowing the water to run first. This is called a "first-draw sample"
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To determine the highest probable amount of lead that you may be exposed to
originating from a submersible pump, a 250 ml sample should be collected
mid-morning after allowing the water to run for 30 seconds This sample
should be collected from the outlet of the storage tank, before the water
contacts other household plumbing (solder, brass fittings, faucets), to assure
the sample will not contain lead from other household sources. This is called
a "flushed sample". Lead in your drinking water may be also contributed from
the lead solder and brass faucets and fittings in the interior plumbing.
15. Didn't the Lead and Copper Rule require first-draw samples (i.e., ones that have
been taken from a tap that has not been used for at least 6 hours)? Why is this
sampling protocol different?
Unlike the tap water testing protocol under the Lead and Copper Rule, EPA's
recommended protocol for submersible well pumps is devised to measure the
highest probable amount of lead that you may be exposed to in your drinking
water which has originated from the submersible pump. Since the lead leaching
from a submersible pump is likely to be found in the well water, and diluted by
the water in the storage tank, before the well water is pumped into the
household plumbing, you should take a sample for lead from the discharge end
of the holding tank to determine how much lead the well pump is contributing
to the water entering your home. (If you do not have a storage tank you
should sample from the faucet closest to the well). We recommend that you
should take the water sample mid-morning. By this time, sufficient water has
passed through the system to flush out the water that has been standing in the
pipes and get the water from the well that contains lead leached from the well
pump overnight. If you want to see if your pipes are also contributing lead to
your drinking water, you should take both a first draw and a flushed sample.
A 1 -liter first draw sample is required by the Lead and Copper Rule because the
Rule is trying to determine how much lead is leaching from plumbing inside a
home (i.e., from lead pipes, solder, flux, faucet fixtures, etc.) as well as from
the distribution system. See Question 14 for the sampling protocol.
16. How do I evaluate my test results?
EPA's action level for lead in drinking water is 15 parts per billion (ppb, or
/yg/L). If test results indicate that your tap water contains lead above 1 5 ppb
there are several steps you can take. First, determine the source of lead as
best you can. This can be done by taking a first draw sample followed by a
flushed sample as described in Question 14.
If you have a submersible well pump that contains brass or bronze and the
flushed sample has a lead level above 1 5 ppb, the problem is likely to be the
pump. Under these circumstances, steps you can take to reduce your exposure
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to lead include installing a home water treatment unit, using bottled water or
replacing the submersible well pump with a pump that does not contain brass
or bronze. See Question 18 for additional information.
If the lead level is above 1 5 ppb in the first draw sample, but not in the flushed
sample, the lead is likely to be coming from components of your household
plumbing (e.g., lead piping or solder, or brass faucets). If this is the case
anytime the water in a particular faucet has not been used for several hours'
flush your cold-water pipes by running the water until it becomes as cold as it
will get. (This could take as little as five to thirty seconds if there has been
recent heavy water use such as showering or toilet flushing. Otherwise it
could take 2 minutes or longer.) The more time water has been sitting in your
home's pipes, the more lead it may contain.
17. Will boiling water remove lead?
Boiling water does not remove lead. Consumers are sometimes directed to boil
water by their Public Water System if there is known or suspected
contamination of the public water supply by microorganisms. Boiling water kills
or inactivates bacteria and viruses that can have adverse health effects on
humans. During boiling, water evaporates which concentrates any lead that
may be in the water.
18. What can I do to protect myself and my family from exposure to lead from
submersible pumps?
You can take several steps to reduce your exposure to lead in drinking water
if you determine that you have lead in your drinking water above EPA's action
level of 1 5 /yg/L (equivalent to parts per billion). You can
• Install a Point-of-Use treatment device that removes lead. For more
information on which types of treatment devices remove lead, contact
the Water Quality Association at 708-505-0160 or NSF International at
313-769-5106; and/or
• Use bottled water for drinking and cooking. Make sure that you use a
brand that does not contain lead, however. For more information on
bottled water, you can contact the Food and Drug Administration at
301-443-4166, NSF International at 31 3-769-5106, or the International
Bottled Water Association at 703-683-5213; or
• Replace the submersible well pump with a pump that does not contain
lead (such as stainless steel and plastic).
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19, Which bottled water is the best for me to drink?
Bottled water is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), not EPA.
For information on bottled water you can contact the FDA's Consumer Affairs
Office at 301-443-4166. Information is also available from the International
Bottled Water Association (IBWA) at 703-683-5213, and NSF International
which certifies bottled water at 313-769-5106.
20. Which Home Water Treatment Units remove lead?
Generally speaking, systems using reverse osmosis remove substantial amounts
of most inorganic chemicals including lead. Several systems using charcoal
filters also remove lead. However, there are many brands and manufacturers
of water filters. EPA neither approves nor endorses home water treatment
units nor does EPA conduct laboratory tests to determine whether a unit
functions as designed and/or claimed. Two reliable sources of information
about water filters are the NSF International and the Water Quality Association
which are described above.
21. Will water softeners affect the amount of lead in drinking water?
Water softeners are devices that are attached to the plumbing at the point just
after the plumbing enters the home. This is called point-of-entry (point-of-use
is when the device is attached to a faucet inside the home). These devices
soften the water by removing minerals (primarily calcium and magnesium) that
cause the water to be hard. Water softening will also remove the lead that
typically leaches from submersible well pumps. Preliminary tests of water
softeners indicate that they will not affect the corrosivity of the water. Unlike
water softened by a water softener, naturally occurring soft waters are mostly
corrosive.
22. What is soft water?
Hard water and soft water are relative terms. Water is considered soft if it has
low total dissolved solids, low in divalent minerals (primarily calcium and
magnesium). Water with total hardness (calcium and magnesium salts and to
a lesser extent iron salts are the major causes of hardness in water)
concentrations from 0 to 75 mg/l is considered soft, 75 to 150 mg/l is
considered moderately hard, 1 50 to 300 mg/l is considered hard, and over 300
mg/l is considered very hard. Hard water slows down the cleaning actions of
soaps and detergents and when heated will deposit a hard scale in cooking pots
and in hot water pipes.
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23. What is corrosion? What is corrosive water?
Corrosion is commonly defined as an electrochemical reaction in which metal
erodes or is destroyed by contact with elements such as air, water or soil
Corrosive water is a term used to describe the ability of certain waters to wear
away metals. The important characteristics of water that may affect its
corrosiveness to metals include the following:
Acidity
Conductivity
Oxygen
• Carbon dioxide
Water Temperature
is a measure of the water's ability to
neutralize alkaline materials. Water with
acidity or low alkalinity tends to be more
corrosive than less acidic water. Water with
pH less than seven is acidic. (In some
instances waters with pH above 7 may still be
corrosive).
is related to the amount of dissolved minerals
in the water. An increase in conductivity
promotes the flow of electrical current and
increases the rate of corrosion.
is oxygen dissolved in water. Oxygen may
either be a corrosive agent or protect against
corrosion.
is carbon dioxide dissolved in water. Carbon
cioxide forms carbonic acid, which tends to
attack metal surfaces. Also the higher the
levels of carbonic acid in water, the higher the
acidity of the water.
is the temperature of the water. Experience
indicates that the higher the water
temperature, the higher the corrosion rate for
load
Silt & sand
ii; the amount of silt and sand present in
water. Silt and sand causes the erosion of
protective films on metal surfaces. The higher
the water silt and/or sand content, the higher
the erosion and corrosion rate.
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Health Effects of Lead
24. What are the health effects of drinking water that contains lead?
All people are susceptible to the risk of lead contamination, but children are
especially vulnerable. Children are sensitive because their bodies are still
developing, and they absorb and retain more lead than adults. Even at very low
levels of lead exposure, children can experience reduced I.Q. levels, impaired
learning and language skills, loss of hearing and reduced attention spans. At
higher levels, lead can cause damage to the brain and central nervous system,
interfering with both learning and physical growth. In adults, lead can also
raise blood pressure a small amount. Women of child-bearing age are also at
risk. Lead can cause impaired development of the fetus, premature births, and
reduced birth weights, and at extremely high exposure levels, fertility problems
and miscarriages.
25. Should I have my child's blood tested for lead?
Many local health departments have lead testing programs. Contact your local
health department or physician for information on how to get your child's blood
tested for lead. The only way to know for sure if your children have elevated
blood-lead levels is to have them tested. The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) recommend testing at 12 months of age, and, if resources
allow, at 24 months. Screening should start at 6 months if the child is at risk
of lead exposure. In some States, more frequent screening is required by law.
26. If my blood level is high, does this mean the drinking water is bad?
Not necessarily. Lead comes from many sources, including household surfaces
with old lead paint, household dusts and soils contaminated by lead paint or
past emissions of leaded gasoline, lead crystal glassware or imported or old
pottery, some imported food cans, printing on the outside of plastic bags, and
other sources such as some imported crayons.
27. What organizations can I contact for more information?
The organizations listed below can provide more information on the following
subjects:
• Bottled Water: The Food and Drug Administration regulates
bottled water. To find out about their
standards call 301-443-4166. You may also
contact the International Bottled Water
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Water Filters:
Lead:
Association (IBWA) at 703-683-5213 or NSF
International at 3133-769-5106.
The International Bottled Water Association is
an independent, not-for-profit organization
which can provide information about
international standards. Call them at 703-
683-5213.
NSF International is an independent
certification and testing organization in the
areas of environmental and public health. NSF
International may be contacted at 313-769-
5106.
NSF International offers objective third-party
evaluation of water filters and will provide a
list of brands which have been certified. You
can reach this foundation at 313-769-5106.
The Water Quality Association can provide
advice on water filters for specific uses at
residential, commercial, industrial and
institutional settings. This independent, not-
for-profit association's phone number is 708-
505-0160.
Additional information on lead, lead poisoning,
health effects on children, testing your home
for lead paint and state contacts, call the
National Lead Information Center at 800-424-
LEAD.
Pumps:
If you get your water from a Public Water
System, contact the system that supplies your
drinking water to find out if any wells
outfitted with lead-containing submersible
pumps are used. The name and phone
number of the Public Water System is usually
printed on the water bill. If you are served by
a municipal system, a phone number should
also be located in the government listings of
the local phone book.
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