siuDE.com

The lead scare is getting scarier: Experts are now warning us it's invading our homes.

The source? Your own faucet.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, higher levels of lead are able to get into hotter water than cold. So drinking hot water from the faucet, or even using hot water for cooking, can be dangerous.

And no, boiling the water doesn't make the lead disappear - it might actually make it worse.

This is disturbing because while many parents were worried about high levels of lead in the toys their children were playing with, the rest of us probably just shrugged it off because we weren't buying the toys. But lead in the water is a little scarier, especially for those who live in older houses.

In general, houses built before 1986 - a good majority of the houses in Carbondale - are most affected because a lot of the pipes were joined and sealed using lead solder, but newer houses aren't exempt. Lead-free pipes can still contain up to 8 percent lead.

Worried residents or those who live in especially old houses should get their water tested. A city's water reports only test the source of the water, which means any lead entering through your pipes wouldn't be on that report.

Almost one-fifth of lead exposure comes from tap water, according to a recent New York Times article. Lead poisoning can cause brain and nervous system damage, and younger children are more susceptible to harm.

One way to reduce the amount of lead the pipes are putting into the water is to let it run before using it. The EPA recommends not using water that has sat in the pipes for more than six hours. Filters can also remove lead in the water.

The EPA also suggests eating a diet that is "low in fat and high in calcium and iron, including dairy products and green vegetables" to lower lead amounts in the body. Reducing the amount of lead storage areas in your body is a great idea not only for lead but for other toxins our body doesn't need.

It's not a good idea to give up tap water all together, while giving up the toys might only be hard for some of us. Tap water is a good source of minerals, and not drinking water out of plastic bottles is no doubt cheaper and better for the environment.

But still, be wary. It's better to be safe. Don't eat paint chips, and don't drink hot water from the faucet.

Engler is a senior studying French and journalism.

Article Tools