Causes and Effects of Lead in Water

Lead in Tap Water: A Threat to Sustainable Development

Corrosion of Lead Plumbing

Corrosion is a chemical reaction that happens between the water and the lead-containing pipe or plumbing fixture. Certain qualities of the water—for example, acidity and varieties of dissolved materials in the water—can play a major role in that reaction. Other factors include water temperature, age and wear of the plumbing fixtures, and the length of time water sits stagnant in the pipes.

Common sources of lead plumbing include:

• Lead service lines: Service lines are the pipes that connect homes and buildings to the water main in the street. Copper is a safer alternative.
• Lead-soldered joints: Solder is a metal alloy that helps connect pipes in household plumbing. Congress amended the Safe Drinking Water Act to mandate “lead-free” solder for plumbing after 1986, but homes built before this time may still contain lead solder.
• Plumbing fixtures: Until 2014, regulations allowed manufacturers to use significant amounts of lead in the construction of faucets, valves, and other plumbing fixtures. Even more recently made fixtures (including brass, which is often nickel or chrome-covered), are allowed to contain reduced lead levels, yet still be misleadingly labeled “lead-free.”

Inadequate or Inappropriate Municipal Water Treatment

The EPA requires water utilities to conduct water-quality monitoring, to use corrosion-control treatments, and to monitor and treat source water as needed to provide safe drinking water. While Flint is the most infamous example, dozens of other cities are failing to properly treat their water. For example, in 2001, Washington, D.C., changed its disinfectant from free chlorine to chloramines without first studying the potential impact. The chloramines made the water far more corrosive, and tragically, extremely high lead levels pervaded the city. (D.C. initially failed to disclose the issue and is still working to replace its lead pipes today.)

Anti-corrosion chemicals can be used to reduce the release of lead and other metals from the pipes into the water. Corrosion inhibitors like zinc orthophosphate are used by water systems to coat the inside of lead pipes and fixtures with a thin, protective layer that reduces leaching and flaking.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

The article discusses the issue of lead contamination in tap water, which directly relates to SDG 6, which aims to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. Additionally, the article mentions inadequate or inappropriate municipal water treatment, which connects to SDG 11, which focuses on making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 6.1: By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all.
• SDG 6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping, and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials.
• SDG 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management.

The article highlights the issue of lead contamination in tap water, which directly relates to the target of achieving universal access to safe and affordable drinking water (SDG 6.1). It also mentions the importance of improving water quality and reducing the release of hazardous chemicals, which aligns with the target of improving water quality (SDG 6.3). Furthermore, the article discusses inadequate municipal water treatment, which connects to the target of reducing the adverse environmental impact of cities (SDG 11.6).

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Percentage of population with access to safe and affordable drinking water
• Concentration of lead in tap water
• Compliance with water-quality monitoring and treatment regulations

The article doesn’t explicitly mention specific indicators, but it implies indicators that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets. The percentage of the population with access to safe and affordable drinking water can be used to measure progress towards SDG 6.1. The concentration of lead in tap water can be used as an indicator to assess water quality and progress towards SDG 6.3. Compliance with water-quality monitoring and treatment regulations can be used to measure progress towards SDG 11.6.

4. Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: nrdc.org