Elevated Levels of Lead Found in the Drinking Water of Some New England Homes

The Boston Water and Sewer Commission (BWSC) recently announced it was sending a brochure to all of its customers with their December water bills about the importance of taking steps to mitigate dangers posed by lead pipes. This action followed an October announcement that tap water taken from several homes, as part of an annual testing program, found elevated levels of lead in some of the samples.

BWSC also posted the following for their customers: It is important to understand that the presence of lead in drinking water does not come from Boston’s water distribution system but rather from premise plumbing. Lead in the water is most often found in older homes, generally built before the 1950s, which may have a lead water service pipe, lead solder, or old brass fixtures which contain lead.

Lead is indeed rarely found in source water, but it can enter the water supply as it comes in contact with plumbing materials that contain it. In most circumstances, lead enters tap water through the corrosion of these materials, which can include service lines. Lead can also leach from lead pipes, solder, and brass or chrome-plated brass faucets and fixtures that are in the actual home, especially when hot water is involved.

“The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency states that lead pipes are more likely to be found in older cities and homes built before 1986,” said Joe Frasca, Senior Vice President of Marketing at EMSL Analytical, Inc. “The agency goes on to share that among homes without lead service lines, the most common problem is with brass or chrome-plated brass faucets and plumbing with lead solder. This can indeed be an issue for people living in small towns and large cities almost anywhere. Fortunately, testing for lead in water is a quick and affordable way to determine which homes may have this problem. At EMSL, we have dozens of laboratories across the United States and Canada that offer this service. If a problem is found, there are solutions property owners and tenants can take to mitigate or eliminate exposure risks.”

EMSL has also sponsored an educational video about lead in drinking water that can be seen at: http://youtu.be/2kvtAcpw1MY.

To learn more about lead or other environmental, health and safety testing services, please visit www.EMSL.com, call (800) 220-3675 or email  info@EMSL.com . To access a Drinking Water Test Kit, visit www.EMSLTestKits.com.


About EMSL Analytical, Inc.
EMSL Analytical is one of the leading testing laboratories with 46 locations throughout the United States and Canada. EMSL is a nationally recognized and locally focused provider specializing in fast laboratory results for mold, bacteria, Legionella, USP 797, pathogens, asbestos, lead, soot, char & ash from fires, VOC’s, odors, radon, formaldehyde, indoor air quality, microbiology, environmental, industrial hygiene, radiological, food, beverage & consumer products and material testing services for the identification of unknown substances. EMSL services both professionals and the general public. EMSL maintains an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations as well as state and federal regulating bodies including, but not limited to A2LA, AIHA-LAP, LLC (AIHA-LAP, LLC EMLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC IHLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC ELLAP), NVLAP, CDC ELITE, CPSC, CA ELAP, NY ELAP, TX DOH, NJDEP and multiple other state accrediting agencies. Please visit our website at www.EMSL.com for a complete listing of accreditations. In addition, EMSL carries a wide range of Sampling Equipment and Investigative Products for environmental professionals.

Contact Information

Joseph Frasca

Senior Vice President of Marketing

EMSL Analytical, Inc.

(1) 856-303-2503

Contact via E-mail