How harmful is lead in drinking water, and what can you do about it?

3 May 2021

Homes built before 1960 may still have lead pipes. In the Netherlands, there are still between 100,000 and 200,000 homes with lead pipes (Health Council Report, Nov. 2019). This can cause lead to enter your drinking water. Even with new pipes in newly built homes, lead can temporarily end up in the drinking water. These lead particles are harmful to health, especially for pregnant women and young children. Just how harmful is lead, and what can you do about it?

The Hazards of Lead in Drinking Water

Lead is a heavy metal, and if you have lead pipes in your home, you may ingest a small amount of lead through your drinking water. Research shows that excessive lead exposure can negatively affect the development of the brain and nervous system in unborn babies and young children up to age 7. It can lead to a slightly lower IQ and behavioral changes. Bottle-fed infants are particularly at risk.

The World Health Organization (WHO) therefore recommended in 2000 that the standard for lead in drinking water be tightened to 10 micrograms per liter of water. If lead water pipes are present, the drinking water may exceed that standard.

Replacing Lead Pipes

It is therefore important to replace lead pipes as soon as possible. If that is not feasible, reroute them. Is replacement or rerouting too expensive or complex? In any case, make sure to replace the pipe leading to the kitchen faucet; after all, this is the place in the home where water is primarily used as drinking water.

You can easily recognize lead pipes by their dull-gray color and the dull sound they make when you tap them with, for example, a spoon.

Loodinname via kraanwater

Source: Health Council of the Netherlands Advisory Report, November 2019

Bottled Water and Flushing

Until your lead pipes are replaced, pregnant women and children up to age 8 should use bottled water. Also, use only bottled water instead of tap water when preparing formula. Boiling water is ineffective and does not remove lead particles. In addition, it is recommended to let the tap run for 2 minutes in the morning before using the water for the first time. However, it is unclear how effective this flushing recommendation is.

Do you have a newly built home or new water pipes? In that case as well, the recommendation is to let the tap run for a few minutes before using the water as drinking water for the first 3 months.

More information?
Health Council of the Netherlands Advisory Opinion, November 2019
Frequently Asked Questions about Lead in Drinking Water, Amsterdam Municipal Health Service (GGD Amsterdam)
Information on lead in drinking water from the RIVM

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