Water Quality Problems – Frequently Asked Questions
Lead
back to top Lead in the environment comes from a variety of sources and may be present in air, food or water. Lead has been shown to have a slight effect on the mental development of children and may also be a factor in behavioural problems.
Lead is not naturally present in drinking water, and where any that is present comes mostly from lead pipes that may be present in properties. Where necessary, Scottish Water treats water to prevent it picking up lead from pipe work, and Scottish Water are now working towards meeting tighter standards for lead that will come into force in 2013.
back to top Water does not contain lead when it leaves the treatment works. For a long time, generally up to 1970, lead was used for some water pipes. Part, or all, of the service pipes connecting the water main in the street to the kitchen tap in older properties may be made of lead, and consequently the water may not always meet the standard at the consumer’s tap.
If you have an older property and are concerned, checking pipework under the kitchen sink will often show whether or not they are lead.
Lead pipes will be dull grey in colour, easily scratched to reveal shiny silver metal and have slight bulges at joints.
There have also been cases where lead in non-approved solder used in plumbing joints has caused failures of the standard at the tap.
If you have reason to believe that lead is present in your supply you can contact Scottish Water and request that they take a sample of water from your property and inform you of the results.
back to top Ultimately, the only certain way to reduce exposure to lead is to remove all lead pipework from the property. Pipework between the stop tap and the property is the responsibility of the property owner. Once this is replaced, you can ask Scottish Water to replace any small sections of lead in its part of the service pipe between the water main in the street and the stop valve, which it must do free of charge. Sometimes local authorities have a small amount of home improvement grant money available that can be used to assist home-owners with the cost of pipe replacement, however any funding is finite and availability varies between authorities.
back to top If lead pipes are causing high lead levels in your drinking water, you can take some simple short-term precautions:
Do not drink water that has been standing in the pipes for long periods, for example, overnight, or if no one has been in for several hours. In these circumstances, draw off a washing-up bowlful of water from the kitchen tap to clear the water which has been standing in the pipes. This need not be wasted but can be used to water plants or for something other than drinking or cooking. If the length of lead pipes exceeds 40 metres, more than a bowlful of water will need to be drawn off. You can then use the water from the kitchen tap as usual.
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