We spend a lot of time discussing water damage from a homeowners’ insurance perspective. We even dive into the health implications, in the context of mold and mildew when excessive moisture has worked its way into the walls and floorboards. However, there is another health concern regarding your home’s plumbing that we want to draw your attention to today – lead.
In Canada, lead was banned from use in water pipes in 1975, although at a provincial level (BC) it snuck under the radar until 1980. In 1989, the BC Plumbing Code restricted the use of lead solder in new plumbing and in repairs to plumbing for drinking water supplies.
Why was lead banned? Its harmful properties are leached into household drinking water. These harmful properties enter the bloodstream and can subsequently cause damage to the brain and kidneys, and may interfere with the production of red blood cells that carry oxygen to all parts of the body.
While homes built in BC and Canada after 1975 are typically free of lead, older homes may still contain lead materials. The latter is of particular concern when you consider that lead soldering for pipe repair was not banned in the province until 1989.
If you own a home in BC that was constructed and/or repaired prior to the most recent BC Plumbing Code update regarding lead in 1989, you may need to take action today. Let’s review.
Why Owners of Older BC Homes Should Have their Plumbing Systems Tested for Lead
The Health Risks of Not Doing So Are Too High
- Reduced growth of the fetus
- Premature birth
- Anemia
- Behavior and learning problems leading to lower IQ
- Hearing problems
- Hyperactivity
- Slowed growth
- Cardiovascular effects, increased blood pressure and incidence of hypertension
- Decreased kidney function
- Reproductive problems (in both men and women)
Source: EPA
You May Not Be Able to Obtain Insurance (Landlords)
How to Take Action Against Lead in Drinking Water
- Purchase (and use) a residential water contamination test kit online or from your local home retailer.
- Inquire with your local BC municipality about free or paid residential water testing resources.
- Have your water be tested by a qualified laboratory near your property/properties.
Fortunately, the risk of lead poisoning in residential drinking water gets lower with renovations and retrofits that come with each passing decade since the Canada-wide (and BC) ban. That said, it’s better to offer household occupants peace of mind that you’ve done your due diligence.
