Although the Environmental Protection Agency effectively banned the use of lead in paint and varnish products in 1978, the organization asserts that many homeowners are at risk for potential exposure to lead from brass and copper plumbing pipes.

Before the EPA's ruling, lead had been considered a benign metal and was widely used in a variety of consumer products. However, recent studies have shown that lead can be hazardous to certain segments of the population if it is inhaled or ingested.

Although the level of harm depends on the amount of exposure, studies have shown that low levels of exposure to lead can cause subtle biochemical changes, while high levels can cause severe brain damage and even death.

The EPA reports that lead in drinking water accounts for between 10 percent and 20 percent of the total lead exposure in young children, which are at greater risk to harm from exposure to lead. Due in part to this unsettling statistic, the federal government has required stricter regulations on the amount of lead in consumer products.

To reduce exposure to lead through plumbing systems, the EPA recommends letting the water run until it gets cold when the faucet has not been used for more than six hours. In the event that heavy water use, such as showering and toiler flushing, has just taken place, this should only take somewhere between 5 to 30 seconds.

Alternatively, if no recent water use has taken place, it could take longer than 2 minutes. This is because water sitting in the pipes for a long period of time is more likely to contain higher amounts of lead.

Homeowners can also take precautions by only using cold water for consumption, since the EPA claims that hot water has a higher probability of containing lead. You should also have your water tested regularly to check for high concentrations of lead in your water supply. Tests can be completed by contacting your water supplier for more information.

Another option to reduce the possibility of being exposed to lead from water running through copper or brass pipes or fixtures is to have them replaced with newer water supply lines made of synthetic materials, which will typically require hiring a licensed plumber.

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