|For the Media| Clean Water and Lead in Plumbing Numerous
elements and minerals are present in our drinking water. Some
occur naturally. Others enter or leach into the water on the
journey from utility to faucet. Some of these elements are
linked to emotional issues; most notably, lead. Facts about Lead
piping and Safe Drinking Water Aging infrastructures, including
pipe and plumbing system components, are the main contributors
of trace amounts of lead in the water supply today: Many faucets
sold in the U.S. and around the world are made from brass, a mix
of copper, zinc and a minute amount of lead. Lead seals
microscopic cracks that occur between the copper and zinc
crystals as they cool, and provides the malleability for brass
to be forged and converted into the machined components that are
vital parts of every faucet. In 2006, the American Waterworks
Association Research Foundation (AWWARF) concluded that faucet
lead levels in the U.S. leach less than 2 parts per billion, far
below the allowable 11 parts p