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My town in Wisconsin had a big program to replace all of the lead service lines. As I understand it, the alternatives they considered included installing some s

My town in Wisconsin had a big program to replace all of the lead service lines. As I understand it, the alternatives they considered included installing some sort of filter in each home, and they decided on total replacement of the pipes. My home was outside of the zone where lead pipes were present.

spwa4 1y ago
> My home was outside of the zone where lead pipes were present. That doesn't really matter, sadly, if it's connected to the same network. Lead has very bad effects on children in trace amounts, and in a network the water comes from everywhere (it takes all paths, not the shortest path, when you open the tap) Trace amounts inhibit brain development in children, and there is no treatment possible once it happens. Damage is permanent, even if you remove the lead (which is expensive and has serious side effects). In adults removing lead "works", if you don't mind the price and side effects. Normal concentrations of lead are toxic, as in they will cause your body to lose energy and die if the concentration goes up. Additionally, lead leads to kidney failure and cancer, years and even decades after exposure, in adults and children (though doubtless the Trump administration will shout "the cancer effects have only been proven in mammals". So you really need to hunt and replace the last lead pipe in the entire network. Because of how the water system works, that includes forcing landlords to remove old lead pipes inside houses. Oh and don't ask the forbidden question: "isn't the basis of our legal system that if an entity causes damage, intentional or not, it is financially responsible for the consequences. This includes government, and would seem to include both the medical damage done to people and replacing whatever is doing the damage"
- robertlagrant 1y ago
  Is this definitely true? The water company we have came and tested and they said the lead level was too low to worry about.
  - iamtedd 1y ago
    Was it measurable and below a certain threshold, or was it undetectable, but they legally can't say there's zero lead content?
    - robertlagrant 1y ago
      Good question - I can't remember. I've just looked up the UK guidance[0] on this, and it seems to talk more about reduction than removal. What do you think? [0] https://www.dwi.gov.uk/lead-in-drinking-water https://www.dwi.gov.uk/lead-in-drinking-water
  - bluGill 1y ago
    There is a lot of debate. There is lead everywhere in the world so zero lead exposure is impossible. The real question is how low you can practically get, and nobody agrees here. Many want as low as possible and then lower yet; others have defined some really timy anount as good enough.
  - cyanydeez 1y ago
    Zero lead is now the goal for health. The EPA keeps regulatory levels for the sake of conservatives who refuse yo address the problem
    - hedora 1y ago
      Go to Home Depot, and check out the plumbing section. The stuff marked “hot water line” “lead safe” is all leaded. Now, try to find equivalent lines (same threads, diameters, etc) that are not marked for hot water heater use. They don’t stock them, but they stock fixtures that require them. One thing that puzzles me: ICE has been targeting Home Depot parking lots out here in California, but Home Depot is a big supporter of Trump. I’d expect them to go after bluer Lowes lots. Maybe Home Depot has agreed not to sue for trespassing or something? If so, that sounds like a breach of fiduciary duties to me.
      - john01dav 1y ago
        What you're saying about leaded fixtures doesn't make sense to me. You say that lead safe fixtures are leaded, but this seems to mean that lead isn't present. Also, what does this have to do with water heater use or fixtures?
        quickthrowman 1y ago
        > Also, what does this have to do with water heater use or fixtures? It doesn’t particularly matter if small amounts of lead are used in hot water lines since you don’t (or shouldn’t) drink water from the hot water heater. Ideally your drinking water comes from a faucet that has separate hot/cold taps, if it doesn’t, then you should turn the faucet all the way to ‘cold’ when you’re filling a glass with water to drink.
        danielscrubs 1y ago
        Never been to Asia? Plenty of people prefer their water warm.
        1y ago

spwa4 1y ago

> My home was outside of the zone where lead pipes were present. That doesn't really matter, sadly, if it's connected to the same network. Lead has very bad effects on children in trace amounts, and in a network the water comes from everywhere (it takes all paths, not the shortest path, when you open the tap) Trace amounts inhibit brain development in children, and there is no treatment possible once it happens. Damage is permanent, even if you remove the lead (which is expensive and has serious side effects). In adults removing lead "works", if you don't mind the price and side effects. Normal concentrations of lead are toxic, as in they will cause your body to lose energy and die if the concentration goes up. Additionally, lead leads to kidney failure and cancer, years and even decades after exposure, in adults and children (though doubtless the Trump administration will shout "the cancer effects have only been proven in mammals". So you really need to hunt and replace the last lead pipe in the entire network. Because of how the water system works, that includes forcing landlords to remove old lead pipes inside houses. Oh and don't ask the forbidden question: "isn't the basis of our legal system that if an entity causes damage, intentional or not, it is financially responsible for the consequences. This includes government, and would seem to include both the medical damage done to people and replacing whatever is doing the damage"

robertlagrant 1y ago
Is this definitely true? The water company we have came and tested and they said the lead level was too low to worry about.
- iamtedd 1y ago
  Was it measurable and below a certain threshold, or was it undetectable, but they legally can't say there's zero lead content?
  - robertlagrant 1y ago
    Good question - I can't remember. I've just looked up the UK guidance[0] on this, and it seems to talk more about reduction than removal. What do you think? [0] https://www.dwi.gov.uk/lead-in-drinking-water https://www.dwi.gov.uk/lead-in-drinking-water
- bluGill 1y ago
  There is a lot of debate. There is lead everywhere in the world so zero lead exposure is impossible. The real question is how low you can practically get, and nobody agrees here. Many want as low as possible and then lower yet; others have defined some really timy anount as good enough.
- cyanydeez 1y ago
  Zero lead is now the goal for health. The EPA keeps regulatory levels for the sake of conservatives who refuse yo address the problem
  - hedora 1y ago
    Go to Home Depot, and check out the plumbing section. The stuff marked “hot water line” “lead safe” is all leaded. Now, try to find equivalent lines (same threads, diameters, etc) that are not marked for hot water heater use. They don’t stock them, but they stock fixtures that require them. One thing that puzzles me: ICE has been targeting Home Depot parking lots out here in California, but Home Depot is a big supporter of Trump. I’d expect them to go after bluer Lowes lots. Maybe Home Depot has agreed not to sue for trespassing or something? If so, that sounds like a breach of fiduciary duties to me.
    - john01dav 1y ago
      What you're saying about leaded fixtures doesn't make sense to me. You say that lead safe fixtures are leaded, but this seems to mean that lead isn't present. Also, what does this have to do with water heater use or fixtures?
      - quickthrowman 1y ago
        > Also, what does this have to do with water heater use or fixtures? It doesn’t particularly matter if small amounts of lead are used in hot water lines since you don’t (or shouldn’t) drink water from the hot water heater. Ideally your drinking water comes from a faucet that has separate hot/cold taps, if it doesn’t, then you should turn the faucet all the way to ‘cold’ when you’re filling a glass with water to drink.
        danielscrubs 1y ago
        Never been to Asia? Plenty of people prefer their water warm.
      - 1y ago