lead and the law
Cut Lead Levels: It's the Law.
In 1986, Congress banned the use of lead solder containing greater than 0.2% lead, and restricted the lead content of faucets, pipes and other plumbing materials to 8.0%. All States were required to ban the use of lead solder in all public water systems, and all homes and buildings connected to such systems by June 1988. The "Safe Drinking Water & Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986," also known as Proposition 65, requires that any vendor of food & beverages in California must post a visible warning to patrons if water samples are shown to contain lead of fifteen (15) parts per billion (ppb) or more.
Fines of up to $2,500 per day may be imposed for noncompliance. In addition, any citizen may obtain samples and collect 25% of the fines that result from subsequent prosecutions.
CAL OSHA also requires any employer of ten or more people to follow similar health & safety conditions on the job site.
Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300)
The Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.)
Also known as the Clean Water Act, In enacting amendments to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act in 1972 and through subsequent amendment, including the Clean Water Act of 1977 (91 Stat. 1566) and the Water Quality Act of 1987 (101 Stat. 7), Congress established the national objective of restoring and maintaining the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the waters of the United States and recognized that achieving this objective requires uniform, minimum national water quality and aquatic ecosystem protection standards to restore and maintain the natural structures and functions of the aquatic ecosystems of the United States.
Any person who negligently or knowingly violates section 301, 302, 306, 307, 308, 311(b)(3), 318, or 405 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, or any permit condition or limitation implementing any of such sections... or introduces into a sewer system or into a publicly owned treatment works any pollutant or hazardous substance which such person knew or reasonably should have known could cause personal injury or property damage... shall be punished by a fine of not less than $2,500 nor more than $25,000 per day of violation, or by imprisonment for not more than 1 year, or by both. Any person who knowingly makes any false material statement, representation, or certification in any application, record, report, plan, or other document filed or required to be maintained under this Act or who knowingly falsifies, tampers with, or renders inaccurate any monitoring device or method required to be maintained under this Act, shall upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not more than $10,000, or by imprisonment for not more than 2 years, or by both. Any person who knows at that time that he thereby places another person in imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury, shall, upon conviction, be subject to a fine of not more than $250,000 or imprisonment of not more than 15 years, or both. A person which is an organization shall, upon conviction of violating this subparagraph, be subject to a fine of not more than $1,000,000. If a conviction of a person is for a violation committed after a first conviction of such person under this paragraph, the maximum punishment shall be doubled with respect to both fine and imprisonment, unless such act results in wrongful death.
The Precautionary Principle
We know very little about the toxicity of 75% of the most heavily used industrial chemicals. Of the 85,000 synthetic chemicals now in use, fewer than 10% have been tested for their effects on human health. Yet we have good scientific evidence that these exposures are already affecting our health and the health of our children. Releasing potentially harmful substances into our surroundings and food is legal and permitted by government authorities, even though we have an increasing understanding and awareness of how dangerous these substances really are.
Our first priority is protecting our health. The Precautionary Principle calls for seeking out the safest ways to accomplish our activities while recognizing the limits of our scientific knowledge. By preventing harm before it happens, rather than by trying to cure illness or clean up pollution after they occur, can prevent a pandemic effect on human health. San Francisco passed a Precautionary Principle Resolution in March 2003. In addition, the U.S. signed the "Rio Declaration" in 1992, an international environmental agreement that incorporates the Precautionary Principle.
Warning Signs
California outlawed the use of lead solder in copper drinking water lines onJanuary 1, 1986. Any building in which new or replacement plumbing was installed prior to that date is likely to contain some lead in the water pipes.
Owners are legally responsible for health hazards from toxins transferred by their water pipes.
If the lead levels in water exceed those set by Proposition 65, warning signs are required in all restaurants, taverns & hotels.
Federal standards initially limited the amount of lead in water to 50 parts per billion. However, health and exposure data prompted the EPA to reset the action level to 15 parts per billion. The EPA estimates more than 40 million U.S. residents use water that can contain lead in excess of 15 parts per billion.
Older buildings in particular may become susceptible to corrosion or pipe seepage, which can materially impact the content of water delivered through the tap. The U.S. Congress passed laws banning the use of lead in piping and solder in 1986, but older systems may still have lead components that can get into the water. Lead-contaminated drinking water is most often a problem in houses that are either very old or very new.
Typically lead gets into water after it leaves the well or supply system. The source of lead in tap water is most often attributable to corroded piping or solder in household plumbing. Dissolved oxygen, low pH and low mineral content in water are common causes of corrosion. Through the early 1900s it was common practice to use lead pipes for interior plumbing. The use of lead solder, even with copper pipes, is widespread.
For a more indepth review of laws relating to the Clean Water Act [Wikipedia], please visit the EPA's website [EPA].
In 1986, Congress banned the use of lead solder containing greater than 0.2% lead, and restricted the lead content of faucets, pipes and other plumbing materials to 8.0%. All States were required to ban the use of lead solder in all public water systems, and all homes and buildings connected to such systems by June 1988. The "Safe Drinking Water & Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986," also known as Proposition 65, requires that any vendor of food & beverages in California must post a visible warning to patrons if water samples are shown to contain lead of fifteen (15) parts per billion (ppb) or more.
Fines of up to $2,500 per day may be imposed for noncompliance. In addition, any citizen may obtain samples and collect 25% of the fines that result from subsequent prosecutions.
CAL OSHA also requires any employer of ten or more people to follow similar health & safety conditions on the job site.
Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300)
The Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.)
Also known as the Clean Water Act, In enacting amendments to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act in 1972 and through subsequent amendment, including the Clean Water Act of 1977 (91 Stat. 1566) and the Water Quality Act of 1987 (101 Stat. 7), Congress established the national objective of restoring and maintaining the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the waters of the United States and recognized that achieving this objective requires uniform, minimum national water quality and aquatic ecosystem protection standards to restore and maintain the natural structures and functions of the aquatic ecosystems of the United States.
Any person who negligently or knowingly violates section 301, 302, 306, 307, 308, 311(b)(3), 318, or 405 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, or any permit condition or limitation implementing any of such sections... or introduces into a sewer system or into a publicly owned treatment works any pollutant or hazardous substance which such person knew or reasonably should have known could cause personal injury or property damage... shall be punished by a fine of not less than $2,500 nor more than $25,000 per day of violation, or by imprisonment for not more than 1 year, or by both. Any person who knowingly makes any false material statement, representation, or certification in any application, record, report, plan, or other document filed or required to be maintained under this Act or who knowingly falsifies, tampers with, or renders inaccurate any monitoring device or method required to be maintained under this Act, shall upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not more than $10,000, or by imprisonment for not more than 2 years, or by both. Any person who knows at that time that he thereby places another person in imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury, shall, upon conviction, be subject to a fine of not more than $250,000 or imprisonment of not more than 15 years, or both. A person which is an organization shall, upon conviction of violating this subparagraph, be subject to a fine of not more than $1,000,000. If a conviction of a person is for a violation committed after a first conviction of such person under this paragraph, the maximum punishment shall be doubled with respect to both fine and imprisonment, unless such act results in wrongful death.
The Precautionary Principle
We know very little about the toxicity of 75% of the most heavily used industrial chemicals. Of the 85,000 synthetic chemicals now in use, fewer than 10% have been tested for their effects on human health. Yet we have good scientific evidence that these exposures are already affecting our health and the health of our children. Releasing potentially harmful substances into our surroundings and food is legal and permitted by government authorities, even though we have an increasing understanding and awareness of how dangerous these substances really are.
Our first priority is protecting our health. The Precautionary Principle calls for seeking out the safest ways to accomplish our activities while recognizing the limits of our scientific knowledge. By preventing harm before it happens, rather than by trying to cure illness or clean up pollution after they occur, can prevent a pandemic effect on human health. San Francisco passed a Precautionary Principle Resolution in March 2003. In addition, the U.S. signed the "Rio Declaration" in 1992, an international environmental agreement that incorporates the Precautionary Principle.
Warning Signs
California outlawed the use of lead solder in copper drinking water lines onJanuary 1, 1986. Any building in which new or replacement plumbing was installed prior to that date is likely to contain some lead in the water pipes.
Owners are legally responsible for health hazards from toxins transferred by their water pipes.
If the lead levels in water exceed those set by Proposition 65, warning signs are required in all restaurants, taverns & hotels.
Federal standards initially limited the amount of lead in water to 50 parts per billion. However, health and exposure data prompted the EPA to reset the action level to 15 parts per billion. The EPA estimates more than 40 million U.S. residents use water that can contain lead in excess of 15 parts per billion.
Older buildings in particular may become susceptible to corrosion or pipe seepage, which can materially impact the content of water delivered through the tap. The U.S. Congress passed laws banning the use of lead in piping and solder in 1986, but older systems may still have lead components that can get into the water. Lead-contaminated drinking water is most often a problem in houses that are either very old or very new.
Typically lead gets into water after it leaves the well or supply system. The source of lead in tap water is most often attributable to corroded piping or solder in household plumbing. Dissolved oxygen, low pH and low mineral content in water are common causes of corrosion. Through the early 1900s it was common practice to use lead pipes for interior plumbing. The use of lead solder, even with copper pipes, is widespread.
For a more indepth review of laws relating to the Clean Water Act [Wikipedia], please visit the EPA's website [EPA].
