Possible lead in drinking water - Environmental Disorders Message Board

nancy30 · 04-11-2006, 01:38 PM

I live in a house that was built in 1901. It has cooper pipes and I think the pipes are soldered with lead.

I only drink bottled water, but I do take a shower with the possibly contaminated water. Do you think there is any risk to my pregnancy by taking a shower with water from lead soldered cooper pipes? I'm 6 weeks pregnant. I'm trying not to obsess about this but it is really worrying me. We are trying to get our water tested but the city is so slow about getting things done.

bxr35 · 04-11-2006, 02:02 PM

I'm pretty sure there's no problem. The issue with lead is really only if it is inhaled or imbibed in large quantities. Unless your showers are hot enough to fill the room with steam for a long time (in which case they're probably too hot for the baby anyway) or you tend to drink in a lot while you shower, it shouldn't cause any problem at all.

As far as lead goes, if you're living in such an old house, there might be lead-based paint as well, under the more recent layers of paint. If there is, it could be worth while to have it scraped off before the baby comes, because babies do get lead poisoning from eating paint chips on the floor. If you do so, however, make sure you're not around when the painters are working.

nancy30 · 04-12-2006, 03:36 PM

Thanks for the info...I feel a little better now about taking a shower. We repainted the walls so the lead paint should be covered up. Still, I kind of want to move to be safe but it takes a while to sell our house.

xinerevelle · 04-12-2006, 03:45 PM

A bigger issue, I would think, is that fact that you don't get any fluoride! If you only drink bottled water you aren't getting the fluoridated tap water.

Not sure how this relates specifically to pregnancy, but I know it's important for small children as their teeth develop.

Why don't you have a private testing company check it out for you if the city is slow. Clean, safe water is important!!! There should water quality testing companies listed in the phone book. Contstruction companies have to use them frequently.