Lead pipes. Replace or not?

[pineapple]

We have discovered that the main pipework is lead - from the mains through the kitchen wall with about a foot of it inside the kitchen. We can take that back but most of the pipework will still be lead. I've been going through who pays for what if it is replaced It won't be an easy or a cheap job. For one thing the old cobbled courtyard would have to be dug up. The builder who is renovating the house thinks I'm freaking out a bit - he says plenty of the properties he has worked on continue to be supplied by lead pipes.
What would you do?

 

[kreyszig]

I'd get the water tested - I think your supply company can do this for you:
http://dwi.defra.gov.uk/consumers/advice-leaflets/lead.pdf

 

[Keithj]

If it's hard water and old lead, it's likely that there's a good fur deposit on the lead that will stop it leaching into the water. The only way to find out is to have the water tested.

 

[Penners]

You don't give us your location, pineapple, and this can be significant when it comes to assessing the dangers of lead in your drinking water. Areas with hard water can build up a layer of calcification inside the pipe which acts to reduce the exposure of the water to the lead, while soft water areas will probably not have this lining of calcium and thus can be more likely to suffer from dissolved lead.

I can only say what I would do. If there are children in the house, I would bite the bullet and have the pipework replaced. If not, then I might opt for a compromise plan - having a new lead-free branch of pipework installed from the water board's incoming supply to the kitchen, and using only this tap for drinking water.

Have you checked to ensure that the board's own pipework is lead-free? If it's not, then they should (I believe) replace it free of charge. However, the cost of replacing your own pipework will, I'm afraid, be your responsibility.

If you do opt to install a drinking water "spur", it's best to do this in plastic pipe. If you use metal (ie: copper) and it is connected to any other kind of metal, you risk slow deterioration due to galvanic action between the two metals.

One other factor to consider when you make your decision is the future saleability of the house. You may have to declare lead pipes to the purchaser's solicitor, and this could raise problems in the sale.

This document may be helpful:-

dwi.defra.gov.uk/consumers/advice-leaflets/lead.pdf

 

[kreyszig]

that looks familiar...

 

[Spoilt Victorian Child]

Hey Pineapple - I'm going through exactly this decision at the moment.

I live in a pretty hard water area (London), and also got told by plumbers that the 115 year old pipes would be so calcified inside it would 'protect me' from the lead. The truth is, when the water board came out to do a sample test, the 'safe limit' was declared as 10, and mine, after the water had been sitting there in the pipe all day while I was at work, was at 15.

They then ran the tap for 5-10 minutes, and took another sample, which came out much much lower and well within the 'safe limit'. The guy explained that when the water's just sitting in the pipe, that's when the lead starts to affect the water (he likened it to an alka-seltzer fizzing in a still glass of water). But when the water's moving through the pipe, the lead doesn't get the chance to affect the water so much, as it's speeding though. So if you keep the lead pipe, as long as you run the tap for 5 mins before drinking from it, you're gonna lessen any chance of lead intake.

One thing you have to consider is who's using the water. If there's babies or children in the house, it's probably worth doing and fronting the cost. If it's adults/OAPs, it's maybe less of a concern.

Because I'm getting the boiler moved and the kitchen sink and other watery appliances rearranged, I'm gonna lump the cost in and get my lead pipe replaced at the same time. I do get tired of running the tap every time I want a drink, not to mention it's a complete waste of water. My front path (where my side of the pipe runs) is just a meter or so long, and I'm gonna get the tiles on it replaced anyway so it's an easy decision for me to dig it up.

I've already had the water board come out and do their side for free (less than a foot from my front gate to their mains pipe!). When they sent the exploration guys out to do the initial investigation of where to dig, I got them to mark out where the pipe ran on my land too, so I know where to dig on my side.

I'd book an appointment with your water board to get your water sampled ASAP. It's free to do, and you'll then have a figure on which to base your decision.

 

[Penners]

gonna

Pineapple - just in case you didn't understand this word, it translates into English as "going to".

Clearly our friend, Spoilt Victorian Child, wasn't so spoilt as to get a decent education.

:wink:

 

[Spoilt Victorian Child]

gonna

Pineapple - just in case you didn't understand this word, it translates into English as "going to".

Clearly our friend, Spoilt Victorian Child, wasn't so spoilt as to get a decent education.

:wink:

Heaven forbid someone uses a contraction in an online forum. lol.

 

[Penners]

Heaven forbid someone uses a contraction in an online forum. lol.

:lol: :lol: :lol: