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Published February 2021
Lead is a poisonous metal that can cause long-term health and behavioral problems. Lead occurs naturally and has been used in many products around the world. The main way to be exposed to lead in Rhode Island is through lead-based paint in homes built before 1978.
However, there are also many other ways to come in contact with lead, including through drinking water. Source: https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/basic-information-about-lead-drinking-water
Paint Lead was used in paint to add color, improve the ability of the paint to hide the surface it covers, and to make it last longer. In 1978 the federal government banned lead paint for use in homes. Homes built before 1978 probably contain lead-based paint. Painted toys and furniture made before 1978 may also contain lead-based paint. Lead-based paint becomes a concern when it chips, turns into dust, or gets into the soil.
Coming in contact with lead can cause serious health problems for everyone. Researchers keep finding more ways that lead is toxic. Levels that were once considered safe are now dealt with as a medical emergency.
Children under six years, and pregnant women are at the highest risk. Coming in contact with too much lead can damage the brain, kidneys, and nervous system. In children, lead can also slow development or cause learning, behavior, and hearing problems.
Private Wells more than 20 years old may contain lead in the “packer” element that is used to help seal the well above the well screen. Some brands of older submersible pumps used in wells may also contain leaded-brass components. Corrosion of pipes and fixture parts can cause the lead to get into tap water.
Learn more about the quality of water in your home. Since you cannot see, taste, or smell lead dissolved in water, testing is the only sure way of telling whether there are harmful quantities of lead in your drinking water.
There are water treatment methods such as reverse osmosis, distillation, and carbon filters specially designed to remove lead. Typically these methods are used to treat water at only one faucet .
It is unlawful to test drinking water without certification. Recently, companies, including prominent big-box retailers, have offered "free" testing in exchange for a sales pitch for expensive and often unnecessary treatment systems. Remember to have your water tested by an independent, certified laboratory before making any decision about treatment. Only a certified testing laboratory can provide an objective analysis of your drinking water.
No. You can't absorb lead through your skin by showering or bathing in it. You do need to take precautions when it comes to drinking or cooking with water.
No. Heating or boiling your water will not remove lead. Because some of the water evaporates during the boiling process, the lead concentration of the water can actually increase slightly as the water is boiled.
This data story was created through a collaboration between the Rhode Island Department of Health and the RILDS Center. The project was supported by cooperative agreement number NUE1EH001364-05-03, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the Department of Health and Human Services.
Rhode Island's Environmental Public Health Tracking Program is part of a nation-wide network that provides information that allows people to understand and take action to prevent and control environmental hazards and related health effects.
CDC's National Environmental Public Health Tracking Program delivers information and data to protect the nation from health issues arising from or directly related to environmental factors.
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