Lead is in our tap water, and unfortunately, it can be detrimental to our health. Lead enters our tap water when plumbing materials that contain lead corrode. This can happen in our pipes and fixtures. This can be especially common in homes that were built before 1986.
The Safe Drinking Water Act requires the Environmental Protection Agency to determine the level of contaminants in our drinking water. Young children and infants are vulnerable to lead. It can have an effect on their emotions and behaviors. Even low levels of exposure in children can damage the central and peripheral nervous systems. This leads to learning disabilities, shorter stature, impaired hearing and impaired formation and function of blood cells.
Not only can lead affect children, but it can have an effect on pregnant women as well. In fact, the EPA estimates that drinking water can make up 20 percent or more of a person’s total exposure to lead. Infants who consume mostly mixed formula can receive 40 percent to 60 percent of their exposure to lead from drinking water.
Lead’s Effect on Children, Pregnant Women & Adults
Children
Even low levels of lead in the blood of children can result in:
- Behavioral and learning problems
- Lower IQ and hyperactivity
- Slowed growth/shorter stature
- Hearing problems
- Anemia
In rare cases, ingestion of lead can cause seizures, coma and even death.
Pregnant Women
Lead can accumulate in our bodies over time, where it is stored in bones along with calcium. During pregnancy, lead is released from bones as maternal calcium and is used to help form the bones of the fetus. This is particularly true if a woman does not have enough dietary calcium. Lead can also cross the placental barrier exposing the fetus to lead. This can result in serious effects to the mother and her developing fetus, including:
- Reduced growth of the fetus
- Premature birth
Adults
Lead is also harmful to adults. Adults exposed to lead can suffer from:
- Cardiovascular effects, increased blood pressure and incidence of hypertension
- Decreased kidney function
- Reproductive problems (in both men and women)
Luckily, when it comes to showering, our skin doesn’t absorb lead. If you would like to test your tap water for lead, simply give us a call at (417) 881-4000. We would be happy to have one of our water techs come out and test your water in order to see the lead concentration in your tap water!
About Aquasani in Springfield, Mo.
Aquasani is an authorized dealer for Rainsoft, WaterLogic, & JavaSmart. Based in Springfield, Mo., Aquasani services areas in the Ozarks including Jefferson City, Springfield, Mo., Ozark, Nixa, Rogersville, Republic, Joplin, Branson and even Harrison, Arkansas, and Bentonville. In essence, we service Mid-Missouri, Southwest Missouri, and Northwest Arkansas, and have been servicing these areas since 2004. We provide home water softener systems, drinking water filtration systems, whole house air cleaner systems, problem-solving water filtration systems for homes and offices, and we also offer a coffee service to businesses in these above-mentioned areas as well.
Aside from our purification systems, we also sell all-natural cleaning products and household items which are environmentally friendly and low-cost.
The coffee service business is simple: an office purchases coffee from us, and we provide the coffee maker/dispenser (including Keurig coffee makers), deliver the coffee to the office as often as needed, and we even clean the coffee makers monthly.
We specialize in water filtration and purification for both commercial businesses and residential homes. If that isn’t enough, we provide free trials for our coffee and water cooler services. If you would like a free estimate, schedule an appointment with us by calling (417) 881-4000 or fill out the form below and one of our Aquasani teammates will sort you out!
