Simple Ways to Protect Your Drinking Water
If you have older plumbing with lead components, lead can leech into your plumbing. There are steps you can take to protect your water:
- If you haven’t used your water for over 6 hours, run the tap for two minutes to flush it before drinking or cooking with it. (You can use this water for watering plants or doing the dishes.) Ideally this should be done at the fixture farthest away from the meter. Woodinville Water District (WWD) recommends capturing the water and using it to water plants inside and outside of your home.
- Always use cold water for drinking and cooking – lead dissolves more quickly in hot water. Never make baby formula or other drinks or food for children from the hot water tap.
- Be sure to select low-lead or no-lead plumbing fixtures. Since January 2014, manufacturers can have only 0.25% lead in a fixture, reduced from 8% previously.
Water Testing
If you are concerned with lead in your drinking water, you can contact a local lab to have the water tested at your faucet for a fee. View the local Department of Ecology approved testing labs.