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Top Ways To Detect Lead In Water And How To Successfully Remove It

Lead is a very dangerous element and the water supply in the city is one of the means through which it enters our bodies. It causes great harm to human health. The worst part about lead poisoning is that one may not be aware of it until it causes major damage.

Lead enters water supplies by leaching from old pipes and fittings in houses and buildings constructed before 1960 when lead was considered an essential material because it prevented rusting. However, this metal has extremely adverse effects on human bodies if ingested regularly in even small quantities. Since the introduction of a new plumbing code for construction, the solder used in connecting pipes contains a much smaller amount of lead.

There are several ways to detect lead in water at home quickly and easily, and in this article, we will go through the top three methods and explain techniques you can use to remove it from water.

Lead Detection Strips

These are commercially-made lead testing strips available for sale that can detect lead presence through simple dip-in tests with an indicator appearing instantly on the strip. Some of these lead strips for water even show lead presence as a mere trace, less than 10ppb (parts per billion). If the concentration of lead is above 15ppb, you should consider lead removal options as soon as possible. These lead strips are preferred for lead testing in water due to the simplicity of use and accuracy of results.

To use a lead testing kit for water, all you have to do is dip the test strip into your tap water strips and wait for a couple of seconds. Now, match the lead indicator on the strip with one of the color-coded indicators provided on the lead testing kit package and you can know lead presence immediately.

Electronic Leakage Detector

This is a useful and accurate device that can detect even small amounts of lead in water. To make effective use of this device for testing water, first, fill a container with tap water completely up to the brim and place the metal tip into it for a couple of seconds. You will then see three colored lights appear on the screen: red, yellow, and green. 

Now, if the red lights come up constantly on the screen for any time after you have removed the metal tip, it means that lead is present in tap water to an extent of 15ppb or more. If only yellow light shows up, then there are 10-15ppb of lead in the water while if only green light shows up then there is less than 10ppb of lead in tap water.

Using Professional Water Testing Kits

Another great way of testing the presence of lead in water is to hire a professional firm involved in providing related services such as plumbers, electricians, and those from the pest control industry. These professionals use special equipment for checking water quality before offering their services or coming up with a plan for home improvements or renovations which may include extension work involving the installation of new piping systems. 

Ultraviolet (UV) Light And Glacial Acetic Acid

This lead detection method is very helpful in detecting lead particles suspended in water as a time-consuming process of lead testing through the other three methods may not prove effective if lead remains suspended in the water indefinitely. However, this technique for lead detection can be useful only if it is first combined with another method such as nitric acid and vinegar technique. The lead particles are turned into lead acetate by using glacial acetic acid and then heated. The moment it is dissolved in nitric acid, the UV light will start glowing brightly if it comes into contact with lead particles making them shine brightly too.

How To Remove Lead From Water

You can remove lead from water using several methods. However, it is best to first consult a professional plumber or an expert who has hands-on experience in removing such particles from tap water so that only the most effective and safest method for removing lead from water is available to you.

One of the most effective methods for removing lead from water is distillation. You can therefore use a distiller to remove lead from water. Distilled water is also free from all types of organic chemical compounds that cause several diseases either directly or through ingestion which includes bacteria, microbial organisms, viruses, and fungi. This distilled purified form of water can then be used for drinking and other important purposes mentioned above after the distiller has removed the lead particles from it.

Another highly effective method for removing lead particles from water is by using a reverse osmosis (RO) system. This RO purification system can remove contaminants such as limescale, dissolved solids, salts, arsenic, nitrates, iron oxide, chlorine ion, and other particles which may be present in standard tap water or well water. The filtered purified form of water produced by RO systems is completely safe for drinking purposes after being passed through filters designed for this purpose.

To avoid the negative effects of lead on our health, it is important to maintain water quality at all times by following standard guidelines for testing water for contaminants including lead. Using any of the methods listed above will help you control lead levels in water so that you can live a healthy life.

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