The Lead and Copper Rule is a regulation for drinking water in the United States. It has been in effect since 1991 and stipulates the effects of lead and copper and the requirements and responsibilities of the various water suppliers and users to ensure that our water is safe. It also determines what steps the government should take to keep the public informed when there is an issue AND what to watch for in your homes and businesses.
The Lead and Copper Rule determines guidelines for ensuring safe drinking water and is designed to prevent issues like those that happened during the Flint Water Crisis. The Lead andCopper Rule is a regulation defined in the Code of FederalRegulations (CFR) which outlines the requirements all water suppliers must follow to make sure that their water is in compliance and clearly establishes the action necessary if the water is not in compliance.
The Lead Copper Rule was updated December 16, 2021.
Updates to the rules are made periodically, but the December 2021 update is the most extensive since the rule was put into effect in 1991. Previously, the most recent update was 2007.
The LCR is updated to improve public health protection while at the same time balancing effective implementation. Although updates were already under consideration, recent events (like the Flint Water Crisis and the resulting public outcry) made it clear that changes were necessary.
You can visit the EPA’s website to learn more about the LCR. Their site includes updates to the LCR, history of the LCR, and steps to take if the LCR is violated. The Federal Register was updated inDecember of 2021 and has a detailed timeline and summary of the public input and government review behind the latest changes to the LCR. The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), specifically 40 CFR Parts 141 and142 outlined as a Final Rule in the Federal Register.
Lead is very dangerous for children and babies. Lead poisoning can cause developmental delays and neurological delays.This damage is irreversible and can sometimes be fatal. LEAD, AT ANY LEVEL presents risks to the human body that include damage to the brain, kidneys, nervous system, and red blood cells.
Copper is also very harmful to human organs causing anything from an odd taste to stomach pains and even cancer. Extended exposure to levels of copper over 1.3 mg/L can cause liver failure, damage to other organs and even death.
Copper contamination in water is an indicator of copper piping or fittings being degraded by corrosive, unbalanced water corroding copper piping. Copper is rarely found naturally in ground water in high concentrations.
The main cause of copper in drinking water is uniform corrosion from waters of low pH and low alkalinity and galvanic corrosion from waters that have high chloride and CSMR values. These types of waters tend to not form protective scales on piping and fixtures which helps to prevent corrosion. Water drained from pipes after sitting has the highest copper concentrations as the water has had more time to actively dissolve the copper.
First call a local water lab such as RETEGO Labs and have them perform a water test. If you do indeed have copper in your drinking water it may require replacing piping with alternative materials or there are EPA approved options to treat your water to mitigate the corrosion.
The most probable source of lead contamination in your drinking water is due to dissolution of lead from plumbing due to corrosive, unbalanced waters.Sources of lead in home plumbing are brass fittings, older lead pipes, lead soldering of copper piping, new fixtures (less than 5 years), soft water, and water sitting in pipes for extended periods of time.
First call a local water lab such as RETEGO Labs and have them performa water test. If lead is indicated in your drinking water it usually requires replacing piping with alternative materials.
Since you cannot see, taste, or smell lead dissolved in water, testing is the only sure way of telling whether ANY lead is in your drinking water. There is NO SAFE LEVEL of Lead in water.
If you have any of the fittings mentioned above in your plumbing ensure you test your water often, because it poses a greater risk. You can call RETEGO Labs to help you with that. Accurate testing of lead at low levels is very difficult and cannot be completed using a “test strip”.
If you would like a peace of mind about the water in your home, please schedule a water test with RETEGO Labs at: (801)907-5031
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