Facts About Lead & Drinking Water

When water leaves Westfield DPW-Water Division’s treatment plants, it does not have lead. Lead can enter drinking water when it travels through water service lines that contain lead and/or your home or building's internal plumbing.

Westfield DPW-Water Division is not aware of any lead service lines present in its water distribution system. Based on annual reports, the Water Division has not installed any lead services lines in its service area since 1940.

Health Effects of Lead

According to the US EPA, no safe level of lead can be consumed or ingested.

Prolonged lead exposure can lead to health problems. Pregnant women, young children and elderly adults are most affected. In pregnant women, lead can be passed to the fetus through the placental membrane leading to premature birth and reduced growth. In children, low levels of lead exposure have been related to damage to the central and peripheral nervous system, learning disabilities, shorter height, impaired hearing, and impaired blood cell formation and function. For adults, high levels of lead exposure can cause damage to the kidneys, brain, and the nervous system, and affect the production of red blood cells that carry oxygen to all parts of the body.

If you have a lead or galvanized service line, the lead from your pipe may leach into the water you drink. The U.S. EPA estimated that 10 to 20% of lead exposure in young children may come from drinking water. Infants who drink formula made with lead-containing water can get 40 to 60% of their lead exposure from drinking water. Humans do not absorb lead through the skin, so you do not need to filter your shower and bath water for lead.

If you are concern about lead in your drinking water, visit the EPA's Basic Information about Lead in Drinking Water webpage or follow the steps below to reduce your exposure.

How to Reduce Your Exposure to Lead in Your Drinking Water

If you think you have a lead or galvanized steel service line, you can take the below steps to decrease your lead exposure:

Replace your lead or galvanized steel service line. If you have a lead service line, you can hire a licensed plumber or contractor to replace your line. Please let the Water Division know when you are replacing your line so we can also replace our portion of the service line.
Run cold water before using. The longer the water stays in the plumbing, the more lead it may have. If the water in the faucet has been sitting for more than 6 hours, run water for 5 minutes before using it. Showering and flushing the toilet also help clear out your water line.
Use cold water for cooking, drinking, and making baby formula. Lead dissolves into hot water more easily than cold water. If you need hot water, draw cold water and then heat it. It is safe to shower, wash dishes, and do laundry with hot water from the tap. Lead does not affect humans through the skin.
Replace your home's internal plumbing that may have lead. Potential lead sources include lead pipes, lead-based solder, and brass fixtures and valves (including faucets). When buying new plumbing fixtures (faucets, valves, sinks, hose bibs, etc.), choose those that have zero-content meeting current "lead-free" requirements. Read the labels of new plumbing fixtures closely.
Remove and clean faucet strainers. Every 3 months, remove and clean strainers at the tip of faucets to remove build up.
1. Remove the faucet strainers from all taps.
2. Rinse the faucet strainers.
3. Run the water without a strainer for 3 to 5 minutes
4. Replace the faucet strainers
Test your water for lead. You can test your water for lead using a state-approved laboratory. If the test shows a value above 0.010 milligrams per liter, contact the Westfield DPW-Water Division for additional information on how best to protect yourself and your family.
Use filters. Consider using a water filter. Be sure the filter you choose (faucet and/or pitcher filter) is approved to reduce lead (NSF 53/42-certified for lead removal) and is replaced following the manufacturer’s instructions. Visit this link to learn more about water filters.
Test your child's blood for lead. Your local doctor or pediatrician can perform a blood test for lead and give you information about the health effects of lead. Visit the State of Massachusetts’ Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program website to learn more, including where you can test your child's blood.

Visit the U.S. EPA's webpage about reducing lead in drinking water to learn more.