Water Alerts
Water Alerts
Water Information Regarding Sediment in Pipes
Illinois EPA has instructed us that we must inform customers, during water outages or maintenance events, of the possibility that this may disturb sediments in piping or even household plumbing and those sediments may contain lead. The following is the required information concerning lead. If you have any questions please feel free to contact us for further detail or you can learn more about lead in drinking water by going to the following website.
What Are The Sources of Lead?
The primary sources of lead exposure for most children are deteriorating lead-based paint, lead-contaminated dust, and lead-contaminated residential soil. Exposure to lead is a significant health concern, especially for young children and infants whose growing bodies tend to absorb more lead than the average adult. Lead is rarely found in source water, but enters tap water through corrosion of plumbing materials. Homes built before 1986 are more likely to have lead pipes, fixtures and solder. Brass fixtures may contain lead.
What Are The Health Effects of Lead?
Lead can cause serious health problems if too much enters your body from drinking water or other sources. It can cause damage to the brain and kidneys and can interfere with the production of red blood cells that carry oxygen to all parts of your body. The greatest risk of lead exposure is to infants (particularly if they drink formula prepared with water containing elevated levels of lead), young children, and pregnant women. Scientists have linked the effects of lead on the brain with lowered IQ in children. Adults with kidney problems and high blood pressure can be affected by low levels of lead more than healthy adults. Lead is stored in the bones, and it can be released later in life. During pregnancy, the child receives lead from the mother’s bones, which may affect brain development.
What Can I Do To Reduce Exposure to Lead in Drinking Water?
If you are concerned about the lead levels at your location, there are several things you can do:
• Run your water to flush out lead. If water hasn’t been used for several hours, run water from your kitchen tap or whatever tap you use for drinking and cooking for at least 3 minutes and it
becomes cold or reaches a steady temperature before using it for drinking or cooking. This will
help flush lead-containing water from the pipes. In order to conserve water, you can fill multiple containers after flushing for drinking, cooking, and preparing baby formula.
• Bottled drinking water should be used by pregnant women, breastfeeding women, young
children, and formula-fed infants at homes where lead has been detected at levels greater than 15 ppb.
• Use cold water for drinking, cooking, and preparing baby formula. Do not cook with or drink water from the hot water tap; lead dissolves more easily into hot water. Do not use water from the hot water tap to make baby formula.
• Do not boil water to remove lead. Boiling water will not reduce lead.
• Look for alternative sources or treatment of water.
• Test your water for lead. Call us at the number below to find out how to get your water tested for lead.
• Identify if your plumbing fixtures contain lead. New brass faucets, fittings, and valves, including those advertised as “lead-free,” may contribute lead to drinking water.
As of June 19, 1986, new or replaced water service lines and new household plumbing materials could not contain more than 8% lead. Lead content was further reduced on January 4, 2014, when plumbing materials must now be certified as “lead-free” to be used (the weighted average of wetted surface cannot be more than 0.25% lead). Consumers should be aware of this when choosing fixtures and take appropriate precautions.
If you have any questions or concerns, you can reach me at 618-439-4394 ext. 222.
Thank you,
Tony Furlow
Water Superintendent
Rend Lake Intercity Water
