The WaterSafe Lead in Water Test Kit makes testing for potentially dangerous levels of dissolved lead in drinking water a fast and easy process. Giving useful results in just minutes, the WaterSafe Lead Test lets you know if your drinking water contains more than 15 ppb (parts per billion) dissolved lead.
The USEPA set as a Primary Drinking Water Standard the level of 15 ppb dissolved lead in drinking water. Reaching or exceeding this level, for a water treatment plant, means the plant must immediately act to reduce the level. Failing to do so could result in substantial fines from the USEPA.
Why test for lead?
Scientific studies have shown that prolonged consumption of lead in water may result in learning disabilities, muscular disorders, damage to the kidneys, and a host of other unwanted health problems.
I have city water… so why should I test for lead?
Lead can show up in city/municipal/public water supplies. Why? Older water systems may still have metal tubing in use that, in older days, workers used solder (which contained an amount of lead) to join together.
Over time water makes its way through the joints to the solder and then lead slowly enters the water supply. To make matters worse, older homes that contain copper plumbing usually have joints fused together with solder that contains lead — and no State, Local or Federal law can make homeowners or landlords replace older plumbing with newer, lead-free components.
Testing for other metals in water
If concerned about metals other than lead in your water, we also carry test products for mercury, chromium, zinc, total copper, total iron, manganese and a cumulative test for heavy metals.
For additional information on lead in drinking water
To learn more about the effects of consuming lead, how lead could potentially gets into your water, and information on removing lead from drinking water, please take a look at the lead archives section on the Water Testing Blog.