What is lead?
Lead is a metal that can be found in all parts of the environment - the air, soil, water, and even inside our homes. Most exposure comes from human activities, even though it occurs naturally.
How can I be exposed to lead?
Young children absorb lead more easily than adults, and lead can be passed to an unborn child during pregnancy. Lead exposure is most likely to cause harm during pregnancy, infancy, and early childhood before age 6.
Most children contact lead by being exposed to the paint in old homes. When old paint that contains lead peels and cracks it creates lead dust and chips. Home renovation may also create significant amounts of lead dust and must be done with caution. Lead dust can be breathed in or get onto hands and toys. Lead intake often occurs when children put their hands and toys in their mouths. Lead can also get into your body by drinking or cooking with water containing lead.
In Massachusetts, most drinking water sources like reservoirs and groundwater are lead free. Lead in drinking water usually comes from water running through lead pipes or plumbing with lead parts or solder. Service lines, which are the pipes that connect your home to the water main, could have lead in them. You might have lead pipes in your home or copper pipes joined with lead solder. Brass faucets or fittings could also contain lead. Lead levels are highest when the water has been sitting in lead pipes for several hours. Hot water causes lead to enter water faster.
How can lead affect my health?
There is no safe level of lead. Exposure to lead can cause serious health effects, especially during pregnancy, infancy (both formula-fed and breastfed), and early childhood before age 6.
Some health effects to infants and children include decreases in IQ and attention span. Lead exposure can also result in new or worsened learning and behavior problems. The children of those who are exposed to lead before or during pregnancy may be at increased risk of these harmful health effects.
Adults have increased risks of heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney or nervous system problems.
Risk of health effects depends on how much a person is exposed to, as well as personal factors such as age, sex, and current health status. An exposure to lead that would have little effect on an adult can have a big effect on an infant or child.
What is the drinking water standard for lead?
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Massachusetts action level for lead in drinking water is 0.015 mg/L (milligrams per liter). The goal is to lower lead levels as much as possible, especially during pregnancy, infancy, and early childhood.
If you are pregnant or have young children, avoid drinking water with lead over 0.015 mg/L. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests using bottled water or a certified water filtration system to reduce lead for cooking, drinking, and making baby formula.
What are the testing requirements for lead?
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) requires public water suppliers to test for lead in tap water in a sample of homes that are likely to have high lead levels. These are usually homes with lead service lines or solder. If more than 10% of the samples have levels of lead above the action level of 0.015 mg/L, the public water supplier must take further action, including notifying their customers about steps they should take to protect their health, installing corrosion control treatment, and possibly replacing lead service lines.
If you have lead in your service line or in pipes inside your home or if you aren’t sure if you do, consider testing your water. This is the best way to find out if you have lead in your water. Testing typically costs between $20 and $60 and should be done by a MassDEP-certified lab.
MassDEP’s Water-Smart Program offers free testing and technical assistance for public schools and public/private childcare facilities. Sampling results for schools and childcare facilities are available here.
Additional resources
Massachusetts
- DPH lead in drinking water factsheet
- DPH annual screening and blood lead level reports and high-risk community lists
- DPH Lead in drinking water FAQ for schools and childcare facilities
- MassDEP Guide: Is there lead in my tap water?
- MassDEP Find a certified laboratory for water testing
- MassDEP’s Water-Smart Program
- MassDEP Lead and copper in school drinking water sampling results
- MassDEP Lead and Copper Rule Revisions
- DPH Information on sources of lead besides lead paint