nector pipes, which connect the city water supply to homes. The
water department or city engineer should be able to tell you whether
this is the case with your home.
Copper pipes can also leach copper into your drinking water.
High copper levels occur in areas where there is soft water (some-
times referred to as a low pH or high acidity). Although not as seri-
ous as lead, excess copper can cause health problems, including dis-
turbances of mineral balance, especially zinc, iron and manganese,
with excess copper being stored in the liver and brain.
Some homes, especially in the northwestern United States, have
older pipes or tanks made of galvanized steel. This metal can leach
cadmium, and, as with copper, this may pose health dangers.
Corrosion of pipes can also cause excess contamination. This is
typical in areas where basements are damp year-round. The most
common source of corrosion is from the grounding of a home’s elec-
trical system. This is easy to inspect. Electrical ground wires should
never be attached to your water pipes, but to a separate ground.
Although the most accurate method of analyzing your water is
through a lab, observing the stains in your sink may be a clue to some
contaminants. The exception is lead, which won’t render any discol-
oration. Copper, however, will produce a blue-green stain, and iron a
brown streak.
Having your water tested by a competent laboratory will remove
all the guesswork regarding its safety. Samples should be taken from
a frequently used source, such as the kitchen sink. Amorning sample
would generally have the highest levels of mineral contamination, as
water sitting in the pipes all night tends to accumulate these sub-
stances. For this reason, let your water run a few seconds or more in
the morning or whenever water has stayed in the pipe more than six
hours, to allow that water to be discarded. If water sources in your
area have been contaminated, or if several members of your house-
hold have symptoms which may relate to contaminated water (such
as recurring diarrhea or vomiting) the health department may do test-
ing. The health department may also give you names of reputable
labs that can test your water. These labs use Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) standards, and although some feel the EPA’s ranges of
normal are too conservative, at least you are ensured accurate testing.
WATER, WATER, EVERYWHERE • 123