Although Flint, Michigan, and Newark, New Jersey, notoriously have dangerously high levels of lead in their drinking water, they are not alone. Because of outdated lead pipes, faucets, and other plumbing fixtures with high lead concentrations, millions of Americans may be inadvertently drinking lead-contaminated water. Lead poisoning may be fatal, especially in kids, and the consequences can last a lifetime.
Common Causes of Lead Exposure
Soil and Water:
Lead may be introduced to the soil through gasoline additives or paint, and it can stay there for years. Lead and lead-soldered copper pipes can also pollute tap water.
Lead Paint:
The use of lead-based paints in houses, children’s toys, and household furniture has been prohibited in the United States since 1978. Lead-based paints, especially on walls and furniture, are still used in older homes and flats, exposing children to lead-based paint chips.
Children’s Products:
Lead is commonly found in children’s jewelry and goods made of vinyl or plastic, such as backpacks and lunch boxes. When these goods are burnt, damaged, or decaying, children might inhale lead. Additionally, children might be exposed to lead by chewing or mouthing these goods.
Household Dust:
Household dust containing lead can be contaminated by paint chips or soil brought in from outside.
Lead-Causing Health Problems
The digestive tract, lungs, and skin are all ways for lead to enter the body. Lead poisoning may occur when there is an accumulation of lead in the body. Lead poisoning is a long-term disease that affects the immune system, bones, and teeth, as well as causing learning, behavioral, and developmental problems. Stunted development, hearing loss, and anemia are all possibilities for children. Lead toxicity can also result in premature births and obstructed fetal development. Lead poisoning causes issues in the kidneys, cardiovascular system, and reproductive system in adults.
Lead poisoning affects children’s IQ, causes hearing issues, inhibits development, and creates behavioral and learning problems. Through the drinking water in their mixed formulas, infants are exposed to 40 to 60 percent lead. The symptoms mentioned in this article are only a few of the many that can occur as a result of lead poisoning. These signs and symptoms might be a sign of something more serious. As a result, if you have any concerns, you should speak with your primary care physician.
How Can You Reduce Lead in Drinking Water?
Testing Water
Knowing the kind of pollutant in your drinking water will help you choose the right filter. The pollution report for your water supply is provided by utility providers. Nonetheless, because water can acquire pollutants after leaving a water treatment facility, you should test the water from your faucet using a test kit.
Running Water
Before drinking, take a shower, run the water, or wash the laundry or dishes to flush the pipes in your house. If your home has a lead service line, the time it takes to have running water is determined by the length of the lead service line. Water companies can provide residents with suggestions for the duration of flushing intervals in their areas.
Using Filters Properly
The good news is that lead can be removed from drinking water. One of the simplest ways to remove lead from water is to use an adequate water filter after determining the source of contamination and the intensity of lead buildup per gallon. Finding sources of lead production in your water supply is critical.
When a solvent is under pressure, reverse osmosis allows the solvent to flow through a porous membrane in the opposite direction than natural osmosis. Water may be purified using reverse osmosis systems, which can remove particles bigger than water molecules, such as naturally occurring trace minerals.
The Waterdrop Reverse Osmosis System is NSF 58 and 372 certified and features a 7-stage deep filtering process that removes lead, chlorine, taste, and odor. Sand, rust, sediments, germs, viruses, and a variety of other pollutants may all be removed with this technique. This is the first smart RO system on the market in the United States, and it has composite filters and a tankless design. The seven steps of filtration are provided by three filters. The pre-sediment and carbon block filter is a three-in-one filter that combines the functions of three different filters.
To Wrap Things Up
Human health can be severely harmed by lead poisoning. Although it may be hard for an individual to completely eliminate lead sources, purchasing an adequate filter guarantees that you have clean, safe, and lead-free drinking water in your household.
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