New Lead Law Affects Your Plumbing, Your Health & The Environment. Are You Ready?

Guest Blog-

Ken Goodrich, principal of The Sunny Plumber and Goettl Good Guys Air Conditioning

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) works hard to protect our health and the environment by enforcing regulations set by the U.S. Congress. In 2011, Congress passed the Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act to amend Section 1417 of the Safe Drinking Water Act. The new law requires any valve, fitting or fixture coming in contact with portable water used for human consumption (drinking or cooking) to have a mandatory lead content of less than 0.25 percent. Previous standards were set at a maximum of 8 percent.

Thanks to lead regulations enforced by the EPA, quality of living has significantly improved since the late 1980s and will continue to improve as new laws and regulations are enacted. However, a recent study found that a significant number of plumbing professionals are not aware or prepared for the Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act to take effect. This new law will mean that locating a plumber that has complied with the law is going to be tricky.

The Sunny Plumber, an Arizona-based plumbing company, was one of the first in the plumbing industry to make the transition to comply with the new law, having implemented it in their processes several months ago. The company also keeps low stock of items such as pipes, fixtures and valves to ensure easy transitions when new regulations are introduced. Having low stock makes safe disposal of potentially unhealthy waste less harmful on the environment and our wellbeing.

Lead contamination can have serious effects for both human health and the environment. Exposure to excess amounts of the toxic metal can lead to learning disabilities and behavioral problems in children ages six and younger, because it affects physical and mental development. Adults who are exposed to lead over long periods of time could develop kidney problems and high blood pressure. Improperly disposed products containing lead can spread toxins into our environment via air, water and soil.

Lead particles can accumulate as indefinite dust particles that contaminate our air supply, affecting our air quality. Plants and animals we rely on can also consume the particles and taint our food sources. For these reasons and more, it is important that when you decide to update your plumbing system, you do so using pipes that meet the requirements set forth by the new law.

The Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act is scheduled to go into effect Jan. 4, 2014. It has allowed for a three-year grace period (since amended in 2011) for all affected parties to transition to the new standards.  Meanwhile, The Sunny Plumber is already dedicated to providing quality plumbing services throughout the greater Phoenix and Tucson areas. Drinking water supply should be nothing short of the highest quality, and this is one of the guiding philosophies for The Sunny Plumber.

If you feel that your water supply is suffering, call an expert to professionally test for lead contamination and any other toxin to ensure your drinking water is safe for you, your family and the environment.  And make sure to always hire a qualified plumbing company that maintains the highest standards and stays up to date on the most recent and most important health laws.