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Sampling drinking water for lead - How the protocol used impacts results
Citation:
Tully, J., M. Schock, AND S. Triantafyllidou. Sampling drinking water for lead - How the protocol used impacts results. To be Presented at 29th Annual Joint Safety and Environmental Professional Development Symposium, NA, April 19 - 23, 2021.
Impact/Purpose:
This presentation will identify sources of lead in drinking water, how to collect various lead in drinking water samples, and what information those samples can provide. Aimed towards public health officials and those who have an interest in sampling drinking water for lead or creating sampling programs for lead in drinking water.
Description:
Lead is a legacy contaminant in many households and buildings across the United States. Oftentimes lead is most frequently associated with hazards in paint, dust, and soil; however, for well over a century, lead has been widely incorporated into plumbing components such as service lines, fittings, connectors, and faucets. Many occupants may not be aware of the lead present within their plumbing system, as many of the components are not clearly marked or easily visible. The amount of lead in drinking water is dependent on the leaded components present within a plumbing system, along with other variables such as distribution system water quality, household size, and household usage patterns. The concentration of lead captured in a single drinking water sample is also dependent on these variables, along with the protocol used to collect the sample. While there are a wide variety of sampling protocols available, a single universally applicable sampling approach for lead in drinking water does not exist. Sampled lead levels in drinking water can vary widely, even between homes in the same drinking water system with similar plumbing. Concentrations can fluctuate from tap to tap, and repeated sampling using the same protocol at the same tap over time can yield inconsistent results. Regulatory sampling protocols will not accurately reflect lead exposure of infants, children, and other family members. This presentation aims to explain how different sampling protocols are used to answer specific questions about lead in drinking water, and how sampling protocols should be tailored based on the question and the site to be sampled. By understanding the information provided by each sampling protocol the resulting lead in water data can be interpreted.