Lead pipes lurk in older neighborhoods across U.S.

TOLEDO, Ohio – Lead pipes like the ones that led to contamination of the tap water in Flint, Michigan, carry water into millions of older homes across the U.S. every day, a legacy of an era before scientists realized the health consequences of exposure to the metal.

Replacing buried pipes can be costly, so chemicals often are added to prevent the plumbing from corroding and leaching lead into the drinking water.

Some researchers argue the only way to remove the threat is to replace pipes.

Utility operators say what happened in Flint is unlikely to be repeated.

Lead pipes are predominantly found in older neighborhoods, especially in the East and Midwest, because most cities stopped installing them in the 1930s.

A survey just completed by the American Water Works Association says 6.5million lead pipes are still in use.

To stop lead from seeping into tap water, chemicals to protect the pipes are commonly added to the water during treatment. Some utilities adjust the composition of water to limit its corrosiveness.

Trouble can start when a utility makes a change in treatment or taps into a new water source, said Daniel Giammar, a lead and water researcher at Washington University in St. Louis.

“In general, as long as the water chemistry isn’t changing, you won’t have a problem,” he said.

The EPA says cities need to reduce lead levels if they exceed 15 parts per billion. But many health experts say no amount is safe. They say that is especially true for children, who are susceptible to learning disabilities and behavior problems from exposure to lead.