COPPER PIPES WITH LEAD SOLDERS: The Too-Little Discussed Risk

Fact:  As of March 13, 9% of Copper lines, 4% Brass-lead Lines TEST WITH High Lead Levels

Estimated 70,000 copper service lines, 30,000 unknown in D.C.

("Copper Lines Not Immune to Lead"  Washington Post, March 13, 2004)

March 3:  D.C. Residents:  Findings In Arlington Imply All DC Residents w/ Lead Fixtures, Component At Risk

March 4:  Arlington Residents: All Arlington County Residents Possibly At Risk Since Water from D.C. Dalecarlia Water Plant, Whose Treatment of Water May Be Causing Corrosion of Lead Pipes, Components, Fixtures and May Lead to High Lead Levels

Please Take Action Now and Send an Email To Urge the Mayor, the D.C. Council, and Congressman Tom Davis to Support These Solutions for Washington's Children!!

          Lead and Copper Pipes.  The rise in lead levels was initially described as being confined to lead service line homes.  However, homes with copper (and brass) water main lines servicing them could still be at risk because copper pipes may have been sealed together with solders made of lead.  Contaminants may have formed a scale in public lead lines that corroded lead pipes and lead solder with copper pipes, causing the lead to leach into the water and lead levels to spike.  Disturbingly, the EPA has reported that "(e)xperts regard this lead solder as the major cause of lead contamination of household water in U.S. homes today.  "(quoting Actions You Can Take To Reduce Lead In Drinking Water EPA 810-F-93-001, June 1993  Last updated on Friday, April 25th, 2003." See full quote below.

           Suggestion:  The suggestion that some are following is to request home testing kits in the event that there are unknown lead soldering material in the copper service main or in the pipes leading to or inside the house

           WASA Should Disclose the Risk Posed by Copper Pipes with Lead Solder.  WASA has omitted mention of the copper pipes with lead solder issue in some communications with customers during the week of February 7, 2004.  "WASA informed me by email and by phone that I have copper pipes, without disclosing the risk that I faced from lead solders that could have been used to seal my copper pipes. I was told that the test would be invalid if used with copper pipes.  The implication was that those with copper pipes have nothing to fear from lead contamination due to public water lines. But lead solders could have been used with those copper lines. I had to tell WASA of this risk before I was promised a home testing kit.  EPA has reported that "(e)xperts regard this lead solder as the major cause of lead contamination of household water in U.S. homes today.  " M.W., A WASA rate-payer (February 7, 2004) (quoting Please see Actions You Can Take To Reduce Lead In Drinking Water EPA 810-F-93-001, June 1993  Last updated on Friday, April 25th, 2003."

           The EPA on lead solder used with copper pipes:

"(This practice [of using lead solder with copper pipes] ended only recently in some localities.) Plumbing installed before 1930 is most likely to contain lead. Copper pipes have replaced lead pipes in most residential plumbing. However, the use of lead solder with copper pipes is widespread.  Experts regard this lead solder as the major cause of lead      contamination of household water in U.S. homes today."  From U.S. EPA Actions You Can Take To Reduce Lead in Drinking Water. Last updated on Friday, April 25th, 2003.
 

For more information, such as

             What is a copper pipe and how it is welded together, see this.