As the City of Milford prepares a program to replace lead service lines at older homes, health experts say eliminating aging lead plumbing is particularly important for protecting children from a toxic metal that can cause permanent developmental problems. This includes homes built before 1986 when Congress amended the Safe Drinking Water Act that year to prohibit the use of pipes, pipe fittings and plumbing fixtures that were not “lead free” in public water systems and plumbing providing water for human consumption.
Some older properties in Milford still have lead or lead-containing service lines connecting homes to the city’s water system. In some cases, older plumbing containing lead may continue beyond the service connection and into the home. That makes replacement of aging plumbing an important health issue, particularly in homes where young children live or spend significant amounts of time.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says no safe level of lead in a child’s blood has been identified. Even low levels of exposure have been associated with developmental problems, difficulty learning and paying attention, and poorer academic performance. Children younger than 6 are particularly vulnerable because their brains and nervous systems are still developing.
Lead can enter drinking water when water comes into contact with plumbing materials containing the metal. Older homes are more likely to contain lead service lines as well as other plumbing materials that can contribute lead, including lead pipes, solder and older faucets and fixtures.
Lead cannot be seen, smelled or tasted in drinking water. The amount released from plumbing can also vary depending on the condition of the pipes, water chemistry, temperature and how long water has remained in contact with the plumbing. This means the presence of a lead pipe does not necessarily indicate how much lead, if any, is entering the water at a particular time. Removing the lead-containing plumbing, however, eliminates the pipe as a potential source of exposure.
Children can absorb lead more readily than adults, and exposure can affect their developing brains and nervous systems. According to the CDC, lead exposure has been associated with damage to the brain and nervous system, slowed growth and development, learning and behavior problems, and hearing and speech problems. Those effects can result in lower performance in school and difficulty maintaining attention.
Infants can face additional exposure when powdered formula is prepared with water that has been in contact with lead-containing plumbing because formula-fed babies may consume significant amounts of water relative to their body weight. Lead exposure is also a concern during pregnancy because lead in a pregnant woman’s body can cross the placenta and expose the developing fetus.
Because some of the damage caused by lead exposure cannot be reversed, public health agencies emphasize preventing exposure rather than waiting until elevated lead levels are discovered in a child.
Milford’s effort to replace older lead service lines can remove one potential source of lead exposure, but owners of older properties should also determine what type of plumbing exists inside their homes. A house with an older lead service connection may also have aging plumbing, solder, faucets or fixtures containing lead beyond the portion being replaced.
That distinction is particularly important because replacing an exterior service line does not remove lead-containing plumbing that remains inside a house.
Property owners with older homes should determine what type of plumbing is present throughout the property and consider replacing lead-containing components that remain after service-line work is completed. The issue can be more complicated for people who rent older homes.
Homeowners can inspect their plumbing and decide whether to replace aging pipes and fixtures. Tenants generally do not have the authority to make those changes themselves and may not even know whether their home’s plumbing contains lead. Families renting older properties may therefore want to ask landlords about the age and type of plumbing in the home, particularly when infants or young children live there.
Parents concerned that a child may have been exposed to lead should discuss those concerns with the child’s health care provider. A blood test is the best way to determine whether a child has been exposed.
Milford’s proposed service-line replacement program has encountered some resistance from property owners in the past who are concerned about excavation required to reach underground pipes and whether lawns and landscaping will be returned to their previous condition after the work is completed. Restoration of private property is an issue residents may want clarified before agreeing to work, including what areas will be disturbed, who is responsible for restoration and what homeowners should expect after construction.
However, the health reason for replacing lead plumbing extends beyond the immediate inconvenience caused by excavation. Lawns disturbed by construction can be repaired. Lead-containing plumbing left in place remains a potential source of exposure as long as it continues carrying water into or through a home.
For families with children, removing that potential source of lead is particularly important because the consequences of childhood exposure can last far longer than the construction required to replace a pipe.
Until lead-containing plumbing can be replaced, residents can take steps to reduce potential exposure. The CDC and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommend using cold rather than hot tap water for drinking, cooking and preparing infant formula. Hot water can cause lead to dissolve more readily from plumbing. Boiling water does not remove lead.
Residents concerned about their plumbing can also use a point-of-use water filter certified to reduce lead, following the manufacturer’s instructions for installation and replacement.
Ultimately, however, filters and other precautions do not eliminate the source.
Replacing lead-containing service lines, pipes and plumbing components removes the material that creates the potential for lead to enter drinking water — an especially important step in homes where children live.
Anyone who is concerned their home may have lead in their water can contact the city who will test the water for them.
