Lead In Drinking Water

Although your drinking water is not usually a concentrated lead source like paint, it can still pose risks to you and your family. Those at the greatest risk, even with short-term exposure, are young children and pregnant women. Lead in drinking water can be a problem for infants whose diet consists of liquids, such as baby formula made with water. Never use water with high lead levels (more than 15 ppb) to mix into infant formula. It can severly impair a child's development, resulting in learning disabilities or stunted growth. Exposure for adults primarily affects the peripheral nervous system and can cause impairment of hearing, vision, and muscle coordination. Lead is also toxic to the blood, kidney, heart, and reproductive system.

Lead can enter your water from several points: Old buried lead pipes that connect your house to the water main (service lines), lead pipe connectors, lead-soldered joints in copper plumbing, and Chrome-plated faucets are generally made of brass, which contains 3 to 8 percent lead.

In some private wells, underwater pumps with brass fittings can cause elevated lead concentrations in drinking water, especially with new pumps and soft water. Contamination can occur when water comes in contact with these fixtures.

When water stands in lead pipes or plumbing systems containing lead for several hours or more, the lead may dissolve into your drinking water. This means the first water drawn from the tap in the morning, or later in the afternoon after returning from work or school, can contain fairly high levels of lead.

If your home is on a well water, then I highly recommend having your water tested for lead.

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Dear David,

I just wanted to write a quick thank-you for the professional and informative job that you did at my home inspection on Monday. As a first time home buyer I was incredibly nervous going into the inspection not knowing what to expect - what should I be asking? What should I be looking for? it was all very overwhelming. However, after the first 15 minutes of the inspection, you quickly put all of my fears to rest!

The way that you took the time to point out and explain to me everything that you were looking for, as well as all of the helpful suggestions that you so freely gave out instantly, had put my mind at ease. I was able to feel that I was in good hands and knew that I had a “Professional” doing the job. This was solidified for me at the end of the inspection when you went over your extensive report with me, item by item ensuring that I fully understood what was there.

Your professionalism and expertise was so greatly appreciated. If ever anyone asks for a recommendation please feel free to give them my name, it would be my pleasure to help put another home buyer’s worried mind to ease by letting them know that with Massachusetts Home Inspections, they can count on a professional job well done.

With Kind Regards,

Karen S.