Science Daily | Source: American Chemical Society | August 09, 2017:
Lead in drinking water is a decades-old problem and still poses serious public health risks today. In response, utilities are replacing segments of old lead pipes that are causing the contamination. Surprisingly, researchers report that although partial line replacements can decrease lead levels in tap water, concentrations spike right after line replacement and can remain elevated for months afterward.
Flint, Michigan’s, drinking water crisis two years ago shined a painful spotlight on the nation’s aging water infrastructure.
To abate the threat of lead leaching from old lines into drinking water, utilities are changing out parts of old lead service lines. This approach has sparked debate, however.
Some studies suggest that upgrading segments of service lines instead of a full system replacement might not reduce lead in tap water. Michèle Prévost, Elise Deshommes and colleagues wanted to get a better idea of how well such programs might be working.
To read full article – please click here.
