How does lead get in your drinking water?
Lead is not present in the water supplied to you. But, lead can enter drinking water when it comes in contact with lead pipes or plumbing that have lead corrosion. The risks of lead entering the drinking water is elevated if the water has high acidity or low mineral content.
Corrosion occurs as lead pipes and plumbing fixtures wear away from a chemical reaction between the water and the lead plumbing. A number of factors determine the extent to which lead enters the water, including:
- the acidity and alkalinity of the water; the amount of lead the water comes into contact with
- water temperature;
- the amount of wear in the pipes;
- how long the water sits in the pipes;
- and, the presence of protective coatings.
Open reservoirs increase the risks of lead in water
To prevent lead from entering the water after it leaves our facilities, we apply treatments that coat the pipes to keep lead from leaching in to the drinking water.
Unfortunately, we can’t apply those treatments on water that will be stored in open reservoirs and exposed to direct sunlight, such as Levine or New Street reservoirs. When treated water is exposed to sunlight, algae blooms could form and make all the water unusable.
Because of that, open reservoirs are a roadblock to reducing the risk of lead in drinking water. It’s also among the most important reasons for storing treated drinking water in enclosed water tanks.
Water from open reservoirs poses a health risk
In addition to the risk of post-treatment contamination, storing drinking water in open reservoirs creates unnecessary health risks to consumers. Repeated tests have shown that water from the Levine and New Street reservoirs is 3 times more likely to result in elevated lead levels in the drinking water.
Lead in drinking water occurs on a building-by-building situation.
Because there is no lead in the water when it leaves the treatment plant, lead can only –leach into the water if/when it comes in contact with lead pipes, plumbing or fixtures. Water sitting in the water main in the street doesn’t contain lead. It’s when the water comes in contact with a lead service line, (PVWC- or Customer-owned) or lead solder, or lead in fixtures that lead enters the drinking water.
Not all drinking water is the same
Because of our water system’s age and the use of open reservoirs, not everyone receives the same drinking water. Consumers in the northern part of our system, which includes Clifton, Paterson and Prospect Park receive water that comes predominately from the Levine and New Street open reservoirs.
The map shows the presence of elevated lead levels (red and yellow) in homes tested over the past year. Notice how properties in the untreated and transitional areas are more likely to have elevated levels of lead in their drinking water.
The photo shows samples of typical pipes used in household plumbing. While copper is very resistant to corrosion, untreated lead pipes and plumbing tend to corrode over time.
When drinking water comes in contact with lead pipes and plumbing, for extended periods of time, corroded lead particles can enter your drinking water.
Reducing the risk of lead in drinking water
Since there is no lead in the drinking water that we deliver to you, we take a number of steps to prevent lead from entering the water as it reaches your home. Our efforts include applying special water treatments, replacing lead pipes within our system, and educating consumers about ways to protect themselves from lead.
As a result, it’s very likely that one building can have lead in the drinking water while neighboring building may not. So, when lead in the water is discovered in one home, it doesn’t mean that all the houses in the neighborhood have lead in the water. If those particular homes were constructed during the same time period by the same contractor, there is a higher potential for multiple neighboring homes to have the same situation.
How does lead get in your drinking water?
Lead is not present in the water supplied to you. But, lead can enter drinking water when it comes in contact with lead pipes or plumbing that have lead corrosion. The risks of lead entering the drinking water is elevated if the water has high acidity or low mineral content.
Corrosion occurs as lead pipes and plumbing fixtures wear away from a chemical reaction between the water and the lead plumbing. A number of factors determine the extent to which lead enters the water, including:
- the acidity and alkalinity of the water; the amount of lead the water comes into contact with
- water temperature;
- the amount of wear in the pipes;
- how long the water sits in the pipes;
- and, the presence of protective coatings.
The photo shows samples of typical pipes used in household plumbing. While copper is very resistant to corrosion, untreated lead pipes and plumbing tend to corrode over time.
When drinking water comes in contact with lead pipes and plumbing, for extended periods of time, corroded lead particles can enter your drinking water.
Reducing the risk of lead in drinking water
Since there is no lead in the drinking water that we deliver to you, we take a number of steps to prevent lead from entering the water as it reaches your home. Our efforts include applying special water treatments, replacing lead pipes within our system, and educating consumers about ways to protect themselves from lead.
Open reservoirs increase the risks of lead in water
To prevent lead from entering the water after it leaves our facilities, we apply treatments that coat the pipes to keep lead from leaching in to the drinking water.
Unfortunately, we can’t apply those treatments on water that will be stored in open reservoirs and exposed to direct sunlight, such as Levine or New Street reservoirs. When treated water is exposed to sunlight, algae blooms could form and make all the water unusable.
Because of that, open reservoirs are a roadblock to reducing the risk of lead in drinking water. It’s also among the most important reasons for storing treated drinking water in enclosed water tanks.
Water from open reservoirs poses a health risk
In addition to the risk of post-treatment contamination, storing drinking water in open reservoirs creates unnecessary health risks to consumers. Repeated tests have shown that water from the Levine and New Street reservoirs is 3 times more likely to result in elevated lead levels in the drinking water.
Lead in drinking water occurs on a building-by-building situation.
Because there is no lead in the water when it leaves the treatment plant, lead can only –leach into the water if/when it comes in contact with lead pipes, plumbing or fixtures. Water sitting in the water main in the street doesn’t contain lead. It’s when the water comes in contact with a lead service line, (PVWC- or Customer-owned) or lead solder, or lead in fixtures that lead enters the drinking water.
As a result, it’s very likely that one building can have lead in the drinking water while neighboring building may not. So, when lead in the water is discovered in one home, it doesn’t mean that all the houses in the neighborhood have lead in the water. If those particular homes were constructed during the same time period by the same contractor, there is a higher potential for multiple neighboring homes to have the same situation.
Not all drinking water is the same
Because of our water system’s age and the use of open reservoirs, not everyone receives the same drinking water. Consumers in the northern part of our system, which includes Clifton, Paterson and Prospect Park receive water that comes predominately from the Levine and New Street open reservoirs.
The map shows the presence of elevated lead levels (red and yellow) in homes tested over the past year. Notice how properties in the untreated and transitional areas are more likely to have elevated levels of lead in their drinking water.
