Factors Affecting Lead Concentrations in Drinking Water: Solder and Sediment

Abstract

The lead content of the drinking water on a 15-acre urban campus was evaluated by a method employing graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy. Water samples were collected from supply mains, distribution lines, and drinking water fixtures in 14 buildings that range in age up to 80 years. Despite the age of many installations, the majority of the fixtures delivered water with less than 50 μg of lead per liter. Solder appears to be the major source of lead contamination in the drinking water. However, the concentrations of lead in these samples varied between and within buildings as well as between and within fixture types. Several factors, particularly sediment in the drinking water, contribute to this variability. These findings are discussed in light of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's proposed lead standard for drinking water (10 μg/L).