Lead is a naturally occurring metal that is harmful if inhaled or swallowed. Lead can be found in air, soil, dust, food and water.

The most common source of lead exposure is from paint in homes and buildings built before 1978. Lead-based paint and lead-contaminated dust are the main sources of exposure for lead in the U.S. children. Lead-based paints were banned for use in housing in 1978.

Although the main sources of exposure to lead are ingesting paint chips and inhaling dust, lead also can be found in some household plumbing materials and some water service lines. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 10 to 20 percent of humans exposure to lead may come from lead in drinking water. Infants who consume mostly mixed formula can receive 40 to 60 percent of their exposure to lead from drinking water. 

Lead can cause a variety of adverse health effects when people are exposed to it. These effects may include increases in the blood pressure of some adults; delays in normal physical and mental development in babies and young children; and deficits in the attention span, hearing, and learning abilities of children. 

Lead is rarely found naturally in our source water or in the treated water flowing though the distribution system. More commonly, lead leaches into water over time through corrosion-a dissolving or wearing away of metal caused by a chemical reaction between water and your plumbing. Lead can leach into water from pipes, solder, fixtures, faucets (brass) and fittings. The amount of lead in your water depends on the types and amounts of minerals in the water, how long the water stays in the pipes, the water's corrosivity, and water temperature.

Oneonta Utilities regularly tests the water at a selected number of high-risk homes. If a certain percentage of samples show lead at above 15 micrograms per liter, we notify all of our customers and provide instructions on what to do to limit lead exposure. 

You can also have your water tested for lead. Since you cannot see, taste, or smell lead dissolved in water, testing is the only sure way of telling whether there are harmful quantities of lead in your drinking water. A list of certified laboratories is available from your state of local drinking water authority (contact labs directly for information on costs and sampling bottles).

The EPA defines high-risk homes as follows: 

• Homes with a lead service line that connects the water main (located under the street) to your home's internal plumbing.
• Homes with a copper pipe and lead solder built after 1982 and before 1988.
• Homes with lead pipes.

In 1986, congress enacted the "lead ban", which stated that not only public water systems, but also anyone else who intends to install or repair drinking water plumbing connected to a public water system, must use "lead-free materials". As a result, homes built in or after 1988 are far less likely to have lead solder. 

If you're concerned your home plumbing may contain lead pipes (lead is a dull gray metal that is soft enough to be easily scratched with a house key) or if you see signs of corrosion frequent leaks, rust-colored water), you may want to have your water tested by a state-certified laboratory. Testing is the only way to confirm if lead is present or absent.

Lead service lines on a customer's property are not part of the public water system and are the responsibility of the property owner. Lead service lines are owned and installed at the expense of the property owner. Oneonta Utilities strongly advises that you contact a licensed plumber for work on your service line. 

Children at risk of exposure to lead should be tested. Your doctor or local health center can perform a simple blood test to determine your child's blood-lead level.