Drinking Water Week a Chance for Homeowners to Learn More about Protecting from Lead
May 08 2017 - 12:00PM
Business Wire
Water utility releases lead education video to
help homeowners identify lead pipes
Aqua America (Aqua), the American Water Works Association and
the water community are celebrating Drinking Water Week, May 7-13,
2017, by recognizing the vital role water plays in daily lives and
the ways in which consumers can take personal responsibility in
caring for their tap water and water infrastructure at home and in
the community. One way Aqua is encouraging consumers to get
involved is to help get the lead out. The water utility recently
released a new lead education video advising homeowners to be
vigilant about the dangers of lead in drinking water and to replace
any plumbing that could leak lead into the water supply.
This Smart News Release features multimedia.
View the full release here:
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170508005945/en/
Lead contamination is often the result of corrosion in the pipes
and plumbing materials belonging to homeowners. There are several
potential sources of lead that can contaminate drinking water,
including: household plumbing containing lead solder and brass
fixtures and lead service lines that run directly into homes.
In most cases, Aqua owns service lines from the water main and
up to the customer’s curb. Once lines are on private property, they
are beyond the utility’s control and it becomes the customer’s
responsibility to mitigate lead exposure or to replace the lead
plumbing. Homes built before 1986 are more likely to have lead
pipes, fixtures and solder inside, which can leach into the
homeowner’s water supply. According to the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA), approximately 10 million American homes receive water
from service lines that are at least partially lead.
“Lead exposure is a serious concern for millions of homeowners
throughout the country,” said Chris Crockett, Ph.D., chief
environmental officer of Aqua America. “Aqua is committed to
delivering safe, reliable drinking water to our customers. We
encourage our customers and all homeowners to work with a licensed
plumber to identify and replace lead-based pipes, fixtures and
other materials in their home.”
According to the EPA, lead can cause serious health problems
including damage to the brain and kidneys, and can interfere with
the production of vital red blood cells. Infants, young children
and pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to the effects of
lead exposure.
To minimize the potential for lead exposure from lead plumbing
and service lines, Aqua advises homeowners to:
- Run the tap for 30 seconds to two
minutes before using water for drinking or cooking, especially if
water hasn’t been used in several hours.
- Only use cold water to cook, drink or
prepare baby formula.
- Use National Sanitation Foundation
approved water filtration devices for effective lead
reduction.
To help homeowners better understand lead and know what they can
do if they are concerned about lead in their water, Aqua developed
an educational video that customers can view here. Aqua customers
can also call Aqua at 877.987.2782 for information about having
their water tested for lead.
Aqua America is one of the largest U.S.-based, publicly traded
water utilities and serves nearly 3 million people in Pennsylvania,
Ohio, North Carolina, Illinois, Texas, New Jersey, Indiana and
Virginia. Aqua America is listed on the New York Stock Exchange
under the ticker symbol WTR. Visit AquaAmerica.com for more
information, or follow Aqua on Facebook at
facebook.com/MyAquaAmerica and on Twitter at @MyAquaAmerica.
WTRG
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version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170508005945/en/
Aqua AmericaStacey HajdakO: 610-520-6309M:
267-294-1866SMHajdak@AquaAmerica.com
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