There is a multitude of ways that lead can enter your tap water. The most common way of lead entering your water is when plumbing materials that contain lead corrode. Lead can be found in some pipes, faucets, and fixtures. Depending on your house’s well water system, lead could also be found in your well’s packer element. Some wells also have old submersible pumps, which contain leaded-brass components.
In this article, we are going to explore a few reliable ways for you to remove lead from your well water:
The Danger of Lead
Lead poisoning usually occurs over time, instead of immediately. However, even small amounts of lead can contribute to serious problems. When a person consumes lead for a prolonged period of time, lead poisoning can become fatal. Because of this, lead in your water isn’t something to be dismissed, it’s a health emergency. Lead exposure in adults can result in negative cardiovascular effects, such as increased blood pressure and hypertension, decreased kidney function, and reproductive problems in men and women.
The symptoms of lead poisoning in adults are:
- An increased blood pressure;
- Joint and muscle pain, as well as tenderness;
- An inability to concentrate;
- Increased and uncharacteristic forgetfulness;
- Headaches and migraines;
- Abdominal pain;
- Moodiness and depression;
- Miscarriage, premature birth, and stillbirth.
The symptoms of lead poisoning in children are:
- Learning difficulties;
- Mood swings;
- Weight loss;
- Loss of appetite;
- Vomiting;
- Hearing loss;
- Constipation;
- Malaise;
- Seizures;
- Pica.
If you suspect that you or a loved one has been exposed to lead or are suffering from lead poisoning, then it’s absolutely crucial that you phone an ambulance or report to your local ER.
Test Your Water
If you use a well, then you should test your home’s water regularly. There are regulations dictating what is an acceptable level of lead in your house’s water. You can acquire test kits online that you can use to take a sample of your water. Once you’ve sent your test kit off, you should receive the results in a matter of weeks. It’s especially important to test your water if you live in an older home, where pipes are more likely to be made from lead.
Replacing Old Pipework
One way of removing lead from your home’s water is to replace your pipework. This can be very expensive, however. Even so, if you have the money, then replacing your home’s pipework, your well’s pump, and your well’s packer system could be a great way to ensure no lead is able to seep into your drinking water.
If you suspect that your pipes are old, then it’s definitely worthwhile calling a plumber to come in and take a look. Plumbers will often give quotes for free, which means that you won’t have to pay for them to visit your home and identify a problem – you’ll only have to pay for them to fix it. While not all lead pipes leak water into your drinking water or well, it’s very dangerous to have them because they can at any time. If you have older pipes or an older packer system, then you should get it replaced.
Using a Filter
A filter is one of the most popular [and effective] ways of eliminating lead from drinking water. According to watertechadvice.com, there are many different types of filters, including sink water filters, faucet-mounted filters, Brita filters, and other pitcher filters. If you’re interested in learning more about them and potentially acquiring a new filter, click here to read the article that they have produced. It’s always worth exploring different filters, so you can make the best decision for your home.
Not only is using a water filter a good way to eliminate lead content, but it also massively improves the taste of water, making it fresher and cleaner. Filtered well water also costs significantly less than bottled water, although it’s just as [if not more] clean. Studies have found that drinking filtered water actually lowers your risk of developing certain cancers. Filters also remove unwanted minerals but retain the healthy ones. Wells can sometimes also [in addition to lead and bacteria] harbour bugs, which filters eliminate and remove.
Reverse Osmosis
Reverse osmosis is a simple, efficient, and effective way of eliminating lead from your house’s well water supply. It’s widely agreed upon that reverse osmosis can remove up to 99.1% of lead in water. You can buy a reverse osmosis system for your home. They are usually quite affordable and are very easy to find.
Reverse osmosis also eliminates phosphate; lead; arsenic; mercury; fluoride; chloride; cyanide, and ammonia. Reverse osmosis also removes a huge amount of sodium from water supplies. Many filters also do this. A glass of water can contain around 12 mg of sodium. Bottled water also sometimes contains sodium. Despite the amount of sodium being low in tap and bottled water, it can be a lot when combined with the amount that you consume through food. The amount of sodium that you consume also builds up when you drink more than one glass of water a day.
Distillation
Distillation is another very effective method of removing lead from your well water, although it can be very time-consuming. Distillation is ideal if you can’t afford a filter or reverse osmosis machine. It’s also good to use in the interim while you wait for your home’s filter to arrive. Distillation is the act of bringing water to its boiling point, then collecting the water molecules and separating them from the contaminants they previously held.
Distilling your water is a very efficient method of eliminating toxins and bacteria from your well water supply because it’s very cheap. With that said, there are disadvantages associated with distilling your water. One of these disadvantages is that, sometimes, water contains chemicals and toxins that can’t be destroyed through burning, like herbicides that have a boiling point of 100%. Water that’s distilled doesn’t contain oxygen either, which makes it tasteless.
If there’s lead present in your water, it’s important that you do something about it. Make sure to follow this article’s advice and incorporate the tips here into your home’s lead elimination strategy