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Improving our understanding of lead (Pb) contamination in drinking water
Citation:
Triantafyllidou, S. AND M. Schock. Improving our understanding of lead (Pb) contamination in drinking water. NEHA 2018 Annual Educational Conference (AEC) & Exhibition and HUD Healthy Homes Conference, Anaheim, California, June 25 - 28, 2018.
Impact/Purpose:
Lead (Pb) contamination of drinking water can be variable (spatially and temporally). No single universally established sampling protocol for lead in drinking water exists, and not every protocol is relevant to every sampling intent. It is therefore important to be able to distinguish between sampling protocols, and to understand their purpose. This presentation is part of the efforts under Safe and Sustainable Water Resources research for distribution system corrosion analysis and modeling research. It is intended to inform practitioners attending this public health conference, about the complex nature of water lead contamination and about the water sampling options that are available, should they choose to use them during environmental assessments of lead-exposed children.
Description:
Lead plumbing sources vary from city to city or even from home to home. Differing water qualities and variable water use patterns further complicate lead release from these sources into drinking water. This presentation provides an overview of lead plumbing sources, and summarizes key factors that cause variability in lead release from these sources into drinking water. It then reviews sampling protocols for the quantification of lead contamination in drinking water. It summarizes the scientific literature to offer a representative list of available protocols and their intended purpose.