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Does Your Drinking Water Present a Health Threat Because of Lead?
The Environmental Protection Agency has stated categorically, “Lead is the number-one environmental health threat to our children.” Years ago parents were shocked to learn that the paint used in their children’s rooms was actually poisonous because it was lead based. But even when that was outlawed, it didn’t eliminate the problem of lead poisoning.
There are five heavy metals that pose a health risk when ingested: lead, cadmium, mercury, aluminum, and beryllium. The first three are the most dangerous. None of the five has any known health benefit. Lead gets into our systems through newsprint, paint, pencils, pesticides, rain water, pvc containers, tin cans with lead solder, toothpastes, metal polish, and several other means.
Lead gets into our systems through, among other things, our drinking water. Old houses might still be using lead pipes and wells might have lead casing or storage tanks. Most city water systems have some lead in the water anyway. When I checked the water report from my own city, I found it to be within acceptable limits in every area. For lead, this was 2.5 parts per billion, well below the acceptable maximum of 12 ppb. However, the last time the city water was tested for lead was two years before this report was issued and three years before he read it. What is it now?
Concern over lead poisoning in city water systems only increases when one reads a report from the Washington Post. Their examination of 65 of the 3,000 largest utilities found that Portland, Maine, New York City, Philadelphia, Boston, and Providence, R.I. are “manipulating the results of tests used to detect lead in water, violating federal law and putting millions of Americans at risk.” The report further states that more than 250 major cities currently exceed the EPA’s lead standards, and many are using deceptive means in reporting of the problems.
Though lead has no advantage to the body, it does cause serious problems. “Each year in the U.S., lead in drinking water contributes to 480,000 cases of learning disorders in children and 560,000 cases of hypertension in adult males.” The truth is, we cannot be rid of the problem of ingesting lead entirely. However, we can do as much as possible to minimize its presence.
The list of negative effects of lead in the system is long. Here is an edited version: abdominal pain, adrenal insufficiency, allergies, anemia, anorexia, anxiety, arthritis (rheumatoid and osteo), attention deficit disorder, autism, back pain, behavioral disorders, blindness, cardiovascular disease, cartilage destruction, coordination loss, concentration loss, constipation, convulsions, and deafness.
The list drones on and on. In summary, lead’s leading areas of concern are kidney problems and nervous system damage. As noted above, these are not the only problems but they are certainly problem enough.
What can we do about this problem? First, check your house for any lead pipes that carry water and replace them immediately. Also, be sure if your house is old, that no lead paint is still present. This should have been checked before you bought it. Third, get a good activated charcoal water filter like the Black Berkey or their shower filter. These claim to remove 95% of the lead found in the water. Think of the peace of mind you will experience when you know you are providing for yourself and your family safe drinking water!
Stained Glass 101 – Soldering Made Easy Part 1
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Solder Magic – Creative Uses of Solder in Stained Glass Art An entertaining instructional video by Kay Bain Weiner and Canfield Quality Solder- Numerous fascinating ideas deomonstrate the newest decorative approaches to designing with solder to use with fused or Stained Glass Art…. |
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Solder Magic: Creative Uses of Solder in Stained Glass Art An entertaining instructional video by Kay Bain Weiner and Canfield Quality Solder-Numerous fascinating ideas demonstrate the newest decorative approaches to designing with solder to use with fused or Stained Glass Art…. |
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My First Project: An Introduction to the Stained Glass Craft with Vicki Payne $24.99 Vicki Payne, well known PBS personality, takes you step-by-step through your first stained glass window project. 50 minutes. VHS video cassette in original slipcase as shown…. |
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Helping Hands with Magnifying Glass $1.56 Quality helping hands with solid heavy duty cast iron base, great for soldering and working with small items. Useful tool for electrician, engineers, jewelers and more. Helping hand comes with 2-1/2″ glass lens mangifier and 2 alligator clips mounted on 4 way swivels…. |
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PanaVise Model 201 Junior Miniature Vise $22.50 The PanaVise 201 “Junior” miniature vise is a combination of quality workmanship and durability, ease of adjustment and available accessories. Designed for use in small projects requiring precise soldering, gluing and tool work, the 201 Junior miniature vise features tilt adjustability up to 210-degrees along with 360-degree turns and rotations, fine and course clamping abilities, grooved jaws… |
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JVCC CFL-5CA Copper Foil Tape (Conductive Adhesive): 1/4 in. x 36 yds. (Copper) $17.65 JVCC CFL-5CA Copper Foil Tape is a 1 oz. rolled copper foil which provides excellent solderability and conformity. Used for RFI/EMI (electromagnetic interference/radio-frequency interference) shielding applications in the electrical/electronics industry (used to shield integrated circuit chips, cables and motors). CFL-5CA is coated with an acrylic adhesive which is uniformly dispersed with conduct… |
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Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy $14.45 Gary Oldman stars as former British secret agent George Smiley in this stylish adaptation of the novel by John Le Carre. In the early ’70s, Smiley is called out of retirement and tasked with flushing out a Soviet mole believed to be serving in a high-ranking office of British Intelligence. Smiley’s search is narrowed to four senior men, but which one is the double agent? Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, Ma… |
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Solder Magic-Creative Uses of Solder in Stained Glass Art $29.95 The popular video Solder Magic-Creative Uses of Solder in Stained Glass Art by Kay Bain Weiner and Canfield Quality Solder is now an entertaining instructional DVD. The 45-minute DVD has numerous fascinating ideas that demonstrate decorative approaches to designing with solder that can be used with fused or Stained Glass Art. Explicit step-by-step, easy to follow procedures show close up photo… |
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Glass with Vicki Payne – Professional Soldering Techniques $21.00 Vicki Payne shows you just how easy it is to master the art of soldering. Learn to solder copper foil panels, brass and lead came windows, reinforce sun catcher and more. Learn how to select and maintain your soldering equipment, which solders to use for specific projects. How to solder a perfect bead on all widths of copper foil and how to create a smooth, even solder joint on lead and brass came… |
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SE Helping Hand Magnifier w/LED Light $7.90 2½ in. Lena Helping Hand Magnifier with 6½ in. Goose Neck Flexible LED Light, 2X Power, Glass Lens. Great addition to any hobby bench…. |