October 20-26 is National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week and according to statistics, we certainly need more awareness and education to learn about the serious health effects of lead and what we can do to prevent exposure. Lead exposure most commonly occurs through paint chips and sources as such, but can also occur in drinking water due to older lead pipes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC, about 500,000 American kids between the ages of 1 and 5 have lead levels above 5 micrograms per deciliter of blood. When this many children are affected, something should be done. If you find yourself wondering if your drinking water could be affected by lead, one of our drinking water systems is the best way to filter tap water and keep your family safe.
According to the California Department of Toxic Substances, there are many factors that could determine how much lead could be present in order to cause permanent damage. For example, the amount of lead in the plumbing parts, how large an area of a lead-containing part comes into contact with the water, how long the water is in contact with the lead-containing surface, and the corrosiveness of the water. When the levels in blood are high enough, they can cause an array of problems such as permanent damage to the brain and nervous system, behavior and learning problems, lower IQ, hearing problems, slowed growth, and anemia. The Environmental Protection Agency states that lead in not commonly found in source water, but generally enters your tap water through corrosion of plumbing materials. Homes built before 1986 tend to have lead pipes, fixtures and solder. However, this doesn’t mean that new homes are in the clear as even legally “lead-free” plumbing may contain up to 8 percent lead. The most common problem is with brass or chrome-plated brass faucets and fixtures which can leach significant amounts of lead into the water, especially hot water.
As with any current issue today, more awareness and education about choices is needed and our company believes that our water treatment products are the best way to eliminate lead from drinking water. Although the state of California enacted laws in January 2009 that increase public protection from exposure to lead in drinking water, it is still too common and affecting our youth. Is it good enough to limit exposure but not eliminate it? That is not our motto. We believe that eliminating and filtering your water is your best choice because you don’t have to worry about if small amounts can still do damage. Our drinking water filters use the most advanced drinking water technology and effectively improve the quality of your drinking water with both taste and safety.
