WHAT IS LEAD?
 •  Lead is a toxic metal that is harmful
if inhaled or swallowed.
 •  Lead can be found in air, soil, dust,
food, and water.

 HOW CAN I BE EXPOSED TO
              LEAD?
 •  The greatest exposure to lead is
swallowing or breathing in lead paint
chips and dust.
 •  Lead also can be found in some
household plumbing materials and water
service lines.

       WHO  IS AT RISK?
 •  Children ages 6 and under are at
the greatest risk.  Pregnant women and
nursing mothers should avoid exposure
to lead to protect their children.
 •  Exposure to lead can result in delays
in physical and mental development.
Your child is also at risk if:
 • your home or a home that your child
    spends a lot of time in was built
    before lead paint was banned in
    1978.
 • renovation work is being done in such
   a home.
 • the adults in the home work
   with lead.
 HOTLINES & INFORMATION

EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline:
        800-426-4791

National Lead Information Center:
        800-424-LEAD
         www.epa.gov/lead

       NSF International:
           www.nsf.org

Lead in Drinking Water Web Site:
    www.epa.gov/safewater/lead
       United States
       Environmental Protection
       Agency
      Additional Information:

      Read the annual report you
      get from your water utility
      to find out about how they
      are working to reduce levels
      of lead in drinking water and
      other information about your
      drinking water.  Call them if
      you have any questions.

      Contact your local public
      health department or talk to
      your doctor about reducing
      your family's exposure to lead.
                 Office of Water (4606 M)
                     EPA816-F-05-001
                       February 2005
IS  THERE
     LEAD
    IN  MY
DRINKING
  WATER?
You can reduce the risk
   of lead exposure
  from drinking water
     in your home.
                                            Printed on Recycled Paper
       Tips For
      Protecting
     Your Family's
        Health

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   HOW  DOES LEAD GET INTO
              WATER?

Lead enters the water ("leaches") through
contact with the plumbing.

   Lead leaches into water through:
  •  Corrosion* of
      - Pipes
      - Solder
      - Fixtures and Faucets (brass)
      - Fittings
  *Corrosion is a dissolving or wearing away of
  metal caused by a chemical reaction between
  water and your plumbing.

The amount of lead in your water also
depends on the types and amounts of
minerals in the water, how long the water
stays in the pipes, the amount of wear
in the pipes, the water's acidity and its
temperature.

            HEALTH TIP

To help block the
storage of lead in your
child's body, serve
your family meals
that are low in fat
and high in calcium
and iron, including dairy
products and green
vegetables.
        What should  I do if
      I suspect that  my water
      contains high lead levels?

  •  If you want to know  if your home's
drinking water contains unsafe levels of
lead, have your water tested.

  •  Testing is the only way to confirm if
lead is present or absent.

  •  Most water systems test for lead as
a regular part of water monitoring. These
tests  give a system-wide picture and do
not reflect conditions at a specific drinking
water outlet.

  •  For more information on testing your
water, call EPA's Safe Drinking Water
Hotline at 800-426-4791.

   Should I test  my  children for
         exposure to lead?
  •  Children at risk of exposure to lead
should be tested.
  •  Your doctor or local  health center can
perform a simple blood test to determine
your child's blood-lead level.

  •  If your child has a blood lead level at
or above lOug/dl, should take preventive
measures.
     QUICK TIPS TO REDUCE
          YOUR FAMILY'S
       EXPOSURE TO LEAD
                Boiling your water
                will not get rid
                of lead.
  •  Use cold water for drinking or
cooking. Never cook or mix infant
formula using hot water from the tap.

  •  Make it a practice to run the water
at each tap before use.

  •  Do not consume water that has sat
in your home's plumbing for more than six
hours. First, make sure to run the water
until you feel the temperature change
before cooking, drinking, or brushing your
teeth, unless otherwise instructed by
your utility.

  •  Some faucet and pitcher filters can
remove lead from drinking water.  If
you use a filter, be sure you get one that
is certified  to remove lead by the NSF
International.

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