The metal Lead is a severe concern to public health, especially for children. Besides occurring in natural galena deposits, Lead was used in paint, water pipes, and gasoline for many years.  Lead was banned from use in gasoline in 1975, in paint in 1978, and in pipes and solder in 1986 (Missouri in 1989).  This usage results in Lead being present in our environment today.  Many buildings and homes still contain Lead in some form that can be released into the home's environment.  If lead is in the environment, our bodies can absorb some of it into our body systems, and it can cause serious medical issues.

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One thing is true; it is the concentration and not the substance that can affect our bodies.  Ideally, we would like to see zero Lead going into our bodies.  That is nearly impossible, so the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, has set exposure limits for the amount of Lead in a person’s blood.  For adults, the blood lead limit is 30 µg/dL, micrograms per deciliter, before action is triggered to take medical action to prevent lead poisoning.  Due to the effects Lead has on a child’s development, children have a blood lead limit of 3.5 µg/dL.

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Testing for blood Lead levels is available through a variety of sources.  Your doctor or your child’s pediatrician can order blood tests to look at the lead level in your or your child’s blood.  Testing is available to eligible children five years and younger at the Franklin County Department of Health through the state Department of Health and Senior Services.  If a child is enrolled in the WIC program through Franklin County Health, they are tested for lead exposure routinely.   

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In 2022, the state legislature enacted a law requiring all disadvantaged school districts to test for Lead in drinking water at all buildings that house students.  The Act, RSMo 166.077 Get the Lead Out of School Drinking Water Act, set new limits on the amount of lead in the drinking water school districts provide to their students and staff.  The maximum amount of Lead in the drinking water of Missouri schools is now 5 ppb (parts per billion) (5mg/L), which is down from the EPA limit of 15 ppb (15 mg/L).  The act requires school districts to test drinking water sources, report to district patrons any result that exceeds the 5 ppb limit, and act to reduce the amount of Lead in the water from that source of drinking water. 

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Below are links to various sources of information on lead in our drinking water.  You can use them to help educate yourself on Lead in our environment.

Information about Lead in Drinking Water

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EPA

• https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-08/documents/epa_lead_in_drinking_water_final_8.21.17.pdf

• https://espanol.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2019-08/documents/081419_infografia_plomo_en_el_agua_potable-1.pdf

• https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/basic-information-about-lead-drinking-water#regs

• https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/basic-information-about-lead-drinking-water

GAO

• https://www.gao.gov/infographic/infographic-lead-drinking-water

• https://www.gao.gov/assets/690/686839.pdf

• https://www.gao.gov/assets/690/686836.pdf

 

CDC

• https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/docs/publications/nceh-prevent-childhood-lead-poisoning-508.pdf

• https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/docs/5things-508.pdf

• https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/docs/5things-spanish-508.pdf

• https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/docs/all-children-can-be-exposed-to-lead-h.pdf

• https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/docs/are-you-pregnant-h.pdf

• https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/docs/esta-embarazada-h.pdf

• https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/docs/lead-levels-in-children-fact-sheet-508.pdf

• https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/docs/how-to-prevent-lead-poisoning-in-children-h.pdf

• https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/docs/Como-prevenir-el-envenenamiento-por-plomo-en-los-ninos-h.pdf

 

Missouri

• https://dnr.mo.gov/document-search/lead-drinking-water-important-information-how-protect-your-health-pub2409/pub2409

• Get the Lead Out of School Drinking Water Act:  https://health.mo.gov/living/environment/get-the-lead-out-of-school/index.php.

• https://health.mo.gov/living/environment/get-the-lead-out-of-school/pdf/faqs.pdf

• https://health.mo.gov/living/environment/lead/pdf/leadinwaterfs.pdf