EPA's Lead Leaching from Submersible Well Pumps.

EXTENT OF THE PROBLEM

How did EPA become aware of this problem?

In laboratory tests, several models of new, previously unused submersible pumps with brass and bronze components have been found to leach high levels of lead into the water that comes in contact with these pumps. The findings of these tests indicate cause for concern to users of such pumps and a need for further research. EPA is not aware of data from field studies designed specifically to collect information on the extent of lead leaching from brass and/or bronze submersible pumps?

Who may be affected?

Anyone who gets drinking water from a well with a submersible well pump that has brass or bronze parts may be affected. Most likely this includes people who get their drinking water from individual, household wells. People who get their drinking water from large Public Water Systems are not likely to be affected because of dilution effects from high flow rates and treatment at the water plant.

People with individual wells will need to test the water themselves. Although Public Water Systems are required by the Lead and Copper Rule to monitor for lead at household taps, your home may not have been included in the sampling. If you are concerned, you can contact the water system to find out when/if monitoring occurred and what lead levels were found in your community. People who have submersible pumps that are made of plastic and stainless steel components are not affected since pumps made out of these materials should not leach lead.

What is a submersible well pump?

A submersible well pump is a water pump in which the pump is submerged in the water that is pumped. The usual well-pumping depth is 40 to 500 feet. The 4-inch diameter submersible pumps are the most commonly used pumps in private wells, as well as in very small Public Water Systems.

What factors influence how much lead can leach from submersible well pumps?

The amount of lead that may leach from a submersible well pump can vary, depending on how much brass or bronze is used, how the brass or bronze parts are made, the age of the pump, and the corrosivity of the water. If you cannot tell for sure that your pump contains brass or bronze parts, the manufacturer should know; also the pump manual or brochure may also have this information. All but a few brands of submersible pumps use brass or bronze components that can leach lead. The only way for you to determine if your submersible well pump is leaching lead is to have your water tested.

What is EPA doing about lead leaching from submersible well pumps?

EPA is in the process of testing lead leaching from five major models of 4-inch diameter submersible well pumps. The five models include four models made with brass fittings, and one model made with stainless steel and plastic components. EPA will evaluate the extent of lead leaching from these submersible pumps and determine whether the performance standard for well pumps established by NSF International requires modification. If so, EPA will provide technical information and recommendations to NSF International. NSF International is an independent certification and testing organization in the areas of environmental and public health. NSF International develops voluntary standards for various products and provides product testing and certification against those standards.

What is brass (also called bronze in some products)?

Brasses and bronzes are metal alloys containing copper and zinc. Although not a major component of these alloys, lead is typically added to copper and zinc to improve the machinability of the alloy. Many pump casings and other parts of submersible pumps currently on the market are made of lead-containing brass or bronze.

How can I tell if my submersible well pump has parts made of brass or bronze?

To find out if a submersible well pump has parts made of brass or bronze, you should check with the manufacturer of the well pump. If you get your water from a Public Water System, you can contact the system to see if it uses submersible well pumps that are made of brass or bronze. The telephone number for your Public Water System will be printed on your water bill. If you are unable to determine whether a submersible pump contains brass or bronze from either of these sources, you should have your tap water tested to see if lead is leaching into your water, and determine its source. The presence of lead in public water supply systems is most likely due to from the plumbing rather than from the pump.

What about non-submersible pumps?

EPA has not collected data regarding whether non-submersible well pumps leach lead, nor is EPA aware of data collected outside the Agency. The problem with lead leaching from submersible pumps has to do with brass or bronze fittings and casings which are in constant contact with water. Hand pumps or single stage shallow well pumps that contain brass or bronze components that are in constant contact with the well water could also leach lead. If you suspect that a non-submersible pump contains brass or bronze parts, you should have your water tested.

Didn't the Lead Ban prohibit the amount of lead in well pumps?

The Lead Ban, passed by Congress in 1986, affects all Public Water Systems and requires that only "lead free" pipe, solder or flux may be used in the installation or repair of (1) Public Water Systems, or (2) any plumbing in a residential or non-residential facility providing water for human consumption, which is connected to a Public Water System. "Lead free" means that solders and flux may not contain more than 0.2% lead, and that pipes, pipe fittings and well pumps may not contain more than 8% lead.

The Lead Ban does not apply to private wells, although manufacturers of submersible pumps are generally following the 8% lead limit anyway. However, EPA has found that submersible pumps are still leaching lead into water even though they have no more than 8% lead and meet the Lead Ban's definition of "lead free."

What is the definition of a Public Water System (PWS)?

Public Water System means a system for the provision to the public of piped water for human consumption, if such a system has at least 15 service connections or regularly serves an average of at least 25 individuals daily at least 60 days out of the year. A Public Water System is (1) any collection, treatment, storage and distribution facilities under control of the operator of such system, and (2) any collection or pretreatment storage facilities not under such control which are used primarily in connection with such system. (40 CFR 8 141.2)

Are there any EPA regulations for water quality in private wells?

The Federal regulations under the Safe Drinking Water Act apply to Public Water Systems. These regulations do not apply to private wells serving individual households. Individual states may regulate well water quality. Most states have building codes which affect well construction practices. Many individuals with private wells use the EPA's regulations for Public Water Systems as guidance for the quality of their well water. Two publications, Citizen Monitoring: Recommendations to Household Well Users (EPA 570/9-90-006, dated April 1990) and Drinking Water From Household Wells (EPA 570/9-90-013, dated September 1990) are available by contacting the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at [phone].

HEALTH EFFECTS

What are the health effects of drinking water that contains lead?

All people are susceptible to the risk of lead contamination, but children are especially vulnerable. Children are sensitive because their bodies are still developing, and they absorb and retain more lead than adults. Even at very low levels of lead exposure, children can experience reduced I.Q. levels, impaired learning and language skills, loss of hearing and reduced attention spans. At higher levels, lead can cause damage to the brain and central nervous system, interfering with both learning and physical growth. In adults, lead can also raise blood pressure a small amount. Women of child-bearing age are also at risk. Lead can cause impaired development of the fetus, premature births, and reduced birth weights, and at extremely high exposure levels, fertility problems and miscarriages.

Should I have my child's blood tested for lead?

Many local health departments have lead testing programs. Contact your local health department or physician for information on how to get your child's blood tested for lead. The only way to know for sure if your children have elevated blood-lead levels is to have them tested. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend testing at 12 months of age, and, if resources allow, at 24 months. Screening should start at six months if the child is at risk of lead exposure. In some states, more frequent screening is required by law.

If my blood level is high, does this mean the drinking water is bad?

Not necessarily. Lead comes from many sources, including household surfaces with old lead paint, household dusts and soils contaminated by lead paint or past emissions of leaded gasoline, lead crystal glassware or imported or old pottery, some imported food cans, printing on the outside of plastic bags, and other sources such as some imported crayons.

STEPS FOR THE CONSUMER

How can I tell if there is lead in my drinking water?

Detecting lead in drinking water requires that the water be tested. Since the EPA has regulated lead in drinking water supplied by Public Water Systems, the Agency has specified which methods are approved for testing lead. EPA recommends the use of a lab that is certified to perform these specific tests on drinking water. The Safe Drinking Water Hotline at [phone] can provide a phone number in each state that you can call and request a list of laboratories certified to test lead in drinking water.

Are there any home test kits that can be used to check lead in drinking water?

There are no home test kits that are EPA approved to test for lead. EPA recommends a state certified laboratory for testing lead in drinking water. To obtain a list of laboratories in your area, you can contact the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at [phone] for the telephone number of your state certification officer who will provide you with this list.

What is the sampling protocol I should follow to test my water for lead supplied from an individual well?

Household water supplies from individual wells include various designs. Most systems include a storage tank, where water is held before it is distributed through the house. To determine the contribution of lead from the plumbing including faucets and solder, collect a 250 ml (one quarter of a liter, or about 8.5 ounces) sample. This sample should be collected after the water in the plumbing has sat motionless for several hours (e.g., first thing in the morning) without allowing the water to run first. This is called a "first-draw sample."

To determine the highest probable amount of lead that you may be exposed to originating from a submersible pump, a 250 ml sample should be collected mid-morning after allowing the water to run for 30 seconds. This sample should be collected from the outlet of the storage tank, before the water contacts other household plumbing (solder, brass fittings, faucets), to assure the sample will not contain lead from other household sources. This is called a "flushed sample." Lead in your drinking water may be also contributed from the lead solder and brass faucets and fittings in the interior plumbing.

Didn't the Lead and Copper Rule require first-draw samples (i.e., ones that have been taken from a tap that has not been used for at least 6 hours)? Why is this sampling protocol different?

Unlike the tap water testing protocol under the Lead and Copper Rule, EPA's recommended protocol for submersible well pumps is devised to measure the highest probable amount of lead that you may be exposed to in your drinking water which has originated from the submersible pump. Since the lead leaching from a submersible pump is likely to be found in the well water, and diluted by the water in the storage tank, before the well water is pumped into the household plumbing, you should take a sample for lead from the discharge end of the holding tank to determine how much lead the well pump is contributing to the water entering your home. (If you do not have a storage tank, you should sample from the faucet closest to the well). We recommend that you should take the water sample mid-morning. By this time, sufficient water has passed through the system to flush out the water that has been standing in the pipes and get the water from the well that contains lead leached from the well pump overnight. If you want to see if your pipes are also contributing lead to your drinking water, you should take both a first draw and a flushed sample. A 1 liter first draw sample is required by the Lead and Copper Rule because the role is trying to determine how much lead is leaching from plumbing inside a home (i.e., from lead pipes, solder, flux, faucet fixtures, etc.) as well as from the distribution system.

How do I evaluate my test results?

EPA's action level for lead in drinking water is 15 parts per billion (ppb or [[micro]gram]/L). If test results indicate that your tap water contains lead above 15 ppb, there are several steps you can take. First, determine the source of lead as best you can. This can be done by taking a first draw sample followed by a flushed sample.

If you have a submersible well pump that contains brass or bronze and the flushed sample has a lead level above 15 ppb, the problem is likely to be the pump. Under these circumstances, steps you can take to reduce your exposure to lead include installing a home water treatment unit, using bottled water, or replacing the submersible well pump with a pump that does not contain brass or bronze.

If the lead level is above 15 ppb in the first draw sample, but not in the flushed sample, the lead is likely to be coming from components of your household plumbing (e.g., lead piping or solder or brass faucets). If this is the case, anytime the water in a particular faucet has not been used for several hours, flush your cold water pipes by running the water until it becomes as cold as it will get. (This could take as little as five to 30 seconds if there has been recent heavy water use such as showering or toilet flushing. Otherwise, it could take two minutes or longer.) The more time water has been sitting in your home's pipes, the more lead it may contain.

Which home water treatment units remove lead?

Generally speaking, systems using reverse osmosis remove substantial amounts of most inorganic chemicals including lead. Several systems using charcoal filters also remove lead. However, there are many brands and manufacturers of water filters. EPA neither approves nor endorses home water treatment units nor does EPA conduct laboratory tests to determine whether a unit functions as designed and/or claimed. Two reliable sources of information about water filters are the NSF International and the Water Quality Association.

What can I do to protect myself and my family from exposure to lead from submersible pumps?

You can take several steps to reduce your exposure to lead in drinking water if you determine that you have lead in your drinking water above EPA's action level of 15 ug/L (equivalent to parts per billion). You can:

* Install a Point-of-Use treatment device that removes lead. For more information on which types of treatment devices remove lead, contact the Water Quality Association at [phone] or NSF International at [phone]; and/or

* Use bottled water for drinking and cooking. Make sure that you use a brand that does not contain lead, however. Bottled water is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), not EPA. For more information on bottled water, you can contact the FDA at [phone], NSF International which certifies bottled water at [phone], or the International Bottled Water Association at [phone]; or

* Replace the submersible well pump with a pump that does not contain lead (such as stainless steel and plastic).