USA - Coplan: Lead in the water
Coplan: Lead in the water
Posted Jul 03, 2008 @ 12:04 AM
The mandatory annual water quality report of the Framingham water department regarding the properties of the water it delivers for household consumption devotes considerable space to the risk of having lead in that water.
The report correctly states that such lead would not have been in the water when it left the water plant. Rather, the report accurately explains that such lead was most likely to have come from lead service lines, lead solder joints in copper piping and/or lead-bearing brass water faucets or other brass plumbing devices such as water meters.
Such lead gets into the water after it has sat stagnantly for several hours during which corrosion fostered extraction of lead from the plumbing. The report suggests that ingesting this lead can be avoided by letting the water run for a minute or so to clear out the volume of water in the plumbing upstream of the faucet.
Two major issues need better treatment than that given in the report.
First, research data presented by a water quality expert in testimony at a Congressional Committee hearing in March 2004 on high lead levels in Washington DC water showed that it could well require flushing away stagnant water for upwards of 3-5 minutes to reach acceptably low lead levels.
Second, fluoridating agents alone as well as in combination with chlorine based disinfecting agents markedly enhance lead corrosion. This was published last year in a peer-reviewed journal. This information was also provided two years ago to a Massachusetts legislative committee during hearings on pending legislation that would mandate water fluoridation.
The Framingham water department and the MWRA have no excuse for keeping silent about this.
MYRON J. COPLAN,
Natick
Posted Jul 03, 2008 @ 12:04 AM
The mandatory annual water quality report of the Framingham water department regarding the properties of the water it delivers for household consumption devotes considerable space to the risk of having lead in that water.
The report correctly states that such lead would not have been in the water when it left the water plant. Rather, the report accurately explains that such lead was most likely to have come from lead service lines, lead solder joints in copper piping and/or lead-bearing brass water faucets or other brass plumbing devices such as water meters.
Such lead gets into the water after it has sat stagnantly for several hours during which corrosion fostered extraction of lead from the plumbing. The report suggests that ingesting this lead can be avoided by letting the water run for a minute or so to clear out the volume of water in the plumbing upstream of the faucet.
Two major issues need better treatment than that given in the report.
First, research data presented by a water quality expert in testimony at a Congressional Committee hearing in March 2004 on high lead levels in Washington DC water showed that it could well require flushing away stagnant water for upwards of 3-5 minutes to reach acceptably low lead levels.
Second, fluoridating agents alone as well as in combination with chlorine based disinfecting agents markedly enhance lead corrosion. This was published last year in a peer-reviewed journal. This information was also provided two years ago to a Massachusetts legislative committee during hearings on pending legislation that would mandate water fluoridation.
The Framingham water department and the MWRA have no excuse for keeping silent about this.
MYRON J. COPLAN,
Natick
posted by Bill at
10:10 AM
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