Improving How We Communicate​

the Risk

• The Need
• State Examples      
• Local Examples                  
• Opportunities              

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Communicating the hazards posed by lead in water is challenging because the consumers have heard so much about lead, its sources, and its risks over the years. Once these understandings are established, expanding or updating them can be challenging.

​The public health community generally considers lead in drinking water as secondary to lead-based paint and that the water is safe if the level is below the lead action level of 15 ppb. They may not be aware that 15 ppb is related to the effectiveness of the utility’s corrosion control program and has no relationship to resident health. The concept that there is no safe level of exposure to lead for children or adults is difficult to act on since zero is nearly impossible to achieve since lead is ubiquitous in our plumbing, our homes, and our communities.
 
It is particularly difficult to communicate the risk posed by lead service lines (LSLs) for the following reasons:

• Lead and Copper Rule compliance sampling analyzes the lead concentration from the first liter of water that comes out of a tap. The first liter sample must come from a tap that has been stagnant for at least 6 hours. This first liter sample is not always representative of the “peak” lead levels that can be released to the tap.
• For homes with LSLs, the service line typically contributes the greatest percentage of lead to the tap. However, lead release is inherently variable and particles can break off at any time.

As long as residents or property owners are responsible for funding all or part of an LSL replacement, there are two situations where it is particularly important to communicate the risks posed by LSLs and whether they have one.

• When one of the residents is pregnant or is a child younger than six, especially if the child is dependent on infant formula for nutrition.
• When a resident considers whether to buy or rent a home. They have the option of selecting another unit. If buying, they could also have the seller replace the LSL as a condition of purchase or have the costs of LSL replacement added to the mortgage so the buyer makes the replacement later.

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Opportunities to support efforts include:

• EPA could develop a household action level (HAL) consistent with its lead-based paint hazard standards to help people understand when action is necessary to protect themselves from lead in drinking water.
• USDA could develop educational programs and deliver them through the Cooperative Extension Service to help property owners who have lead pipes servicing private wells.
• State health departments could facilitate better communication between local health departments and utilities regarding lead in drinking water.
• State health departments could educate other professionals about LSL risks, including lead poisoning prevention program staff, lead risk assessors and inspectors, and home inspectors.
• Organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and other trusted resources for the healthcare community could better educate their members on the risks posed by LSLs.
• EPA, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and philanthropic organizations could invest in research to identify, evaluate the best risk communications regarding lead poisoning prevention, and communicate the results to communities and utilities as the research develops.