Lead in Our Water: Risks, Realities, and Removal | Expert Opinion

Humans and lead have a complicated relationship. For thousands of years, people have used lead in construction, cosmetics, and countless other products. Lead has shaped the world we know. Lead is still used today in car batteries, belts that help deep-sea divers submerge, and vests that protect dental patients from excess X-ray exposure. This metal has truly remarkable properties that have kept it useful throughout history, specifically its low cost, low melting point, and high malleability.

Unfortunately, lead is highly toxic and can leach into drinking water through the corrosion of lead pipes, solder, and fixtures. Municipal water systems regulate water chemistry, but aging infrastructure and lead plumbing in homes can still leach lead into drinking water.

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, there are no safe levels of lead exposure. Even trace levels of exposure can have severe effects on human health. This is particularly true for children, who may experience developmental issues, behavioral disorders, and reduced IQ when exposed to lead-contaminated water.

Adults are also at risk, with possible harmful effects on the cardiovascular and nervous systems, including high blood pressure, kidney damage, and reproductive issues.

Well over 9 million lead water service lines still deliver water to American homes, and many other countries have an abundance of these lines as well due to aging infrastructure. Depending on the age of the dwelling and community, lead plumbing supplies might have been used. The EPA offers guidance on determining whether water is passing through lead pipes and testing your water for lead.

Testing is very straightforward and involves finding a certified testing laboratory through your local drinking water provider. Testing can be at the expense of consumers, but it will provide a definitive answer about the safety of drinking water.

Although there are some common misconceptions about the process, removing lead from water is straightforward: the proper type of water filter must be used. There are some misconceptions about removing lead from water, however.

First, lead and other metals and metalloids cannot be removed by boiling the water. In fact, boiling water concentrates the metals by evaporating the water, leaving the same amount of metals behind but now in less water. Boiling water is ample for disinfecting water contaminated by pathogenic bacteria, viruses, and protozoa, but not for treating water contaminated by lead.

Second, while some water filters can remove lead, others do not have this capability. The EPA provides a guide to selecting the proper filter. Only filters approved by credentialed third-party evaluation bodies for lead removal can reduce lead in water. Before making a purchase, consumers should carefully evaluate the filter type, ensuring it has been tested and approved for lead reduction.

Reverse osmosis (RO) systems, like those offered by Waterdrop Filter, are consistently shown in research to remove the most lead from water when compared to other water filters. Reverse osmosis uses a semipermeable membrane to separate and remove contaminants, including lead. RO systems can remove up to 99% of lead from contaminated water.

Other independent studies confirm that reverse osmosis is the most effective method for removing lead from water. Reverse osmosis membranes remove lead and other toxic metals from diverse water sources, whereas other types of filters have been determined to be less effective.

Natural methods for removing lead from water are limited, but some eco-friendly techniques are being studied. Scientists have developed a programmable ion membrane that can selectively control ion flow, mimicking the regulatory functions of living cells. This paves the way for advanced, natural water-purification and mineral-extraction technologies. However, this technology is not yet available to the public, and a timetable for this type of filtration has not been established.

Although not a type of filtration, allowing the water to flow from the tap for a few minutes has its champions. The idea is that the longer water has been exposed to lead plumbing, the higher its lead concentration. By letting the stagnant water flow down the drain, the idea is that the water to be used will have lower levels of lead due to this flushing.

However, research has found that flushing might not be an effective solution for lead-contaminated water. In fact, the practice may even increase lead exposure, particularly if the flushing duration is too short, underscoring the need for revised public health recommendations. Various factors, including plumbing configuration, water use patterns, and the condition of the service lines, limit the effectiveness of flushing.

Understanding how to properly remove lead from water is a public health necessity. Whether through reverse osmosis or other certified filters, modern science provides multiple effective ways to remove lead from water using filters. Proper water filtering is the only proven method of removing contaminants. Boiling will make lead-contaminated water worse, and flushing is ineffective.

Clean water should be a right, not a privilege. Educating yourself on lead removal from water is the first step toward making your home and community safer.

1. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Basic Information about Lead in Drinking Water. EPA, n.d.