I live in a house built in 1917. I don’t have any leaks, my water flow seems good, and I haven’t noticed any red or brown water. But: recently, I read an article in the New York Times saying I should not drink hot water from my tap because of the possibility of lead poisoning. Would an epoxy lining process allow me to use hot tap water without fear of lead poisoning? Are there any other water quality advantages from epoxy lining my pipes?

-Jim

Jim, you’re right to be concerned - one of the most serious (if not frequent) problems caused by pipe corrosion is lead contamination. And what makes it even worse is that you can’t see that there is a problem, as you often do with other plumbing problems. Your first step should be to get your water tested. You can find general information about lead contamination and how to test for it on the EPA’s website.

Epoxy lining does protect against lead leaching into drinking water. Because the epoxy lining creates a barrier between the metal pipe and the water coming in contact with it, it stops the chemical reaction that causes corrosion. It eliminates and prevents from reoccurring a host of poor water quality issues such as:
• discolored water (red, brown, blue or yellow)
• leaching of lead and other metals into the water
• metallic taste (caused by zinc or iron leeching in galvanized pipes)
• water odor or bad taste (caused by bacteria)

Both the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Navy have documented their use of epoxy pipe lining to prevent lead and other contaminants from leaching into drinking water. The Army report is available as a PDF here and the Navy report is available as a PDF here. And CuraPoxy®, CuraFlo’s epoxy, is certified to meet ANSI/NSF Standard 61 - the U.S. government’s standard for safe drinking water. This means that it’s certified for use in potable (drinking) water pipes up to 180° Fahrenheit (82.2° Celsius).

If you do have lead contamination, it’s most likely because of one or more of the following:
• lead service line pipe(s) connecting your house to the municipal water main
• lead-based solder (used to join copper pipes)
• brass or chrome-plated brass faucets.

Lead pipes are no longer used, but in older buildings and homes like yours, the service line from the municipal water main to the house may be a lead pipe - something you should confirm. Unless your piping has been upgraded in the past 40 years, it is probably galvanized pipe (iron with a zinc coating) which does not require lead solder to join the pipe. You may already know if your faucets are brass or chrome-plated, but if not, you might want to consult with a licensed plumber or take them with you to a local hardware store. If you’re interested in learning more about the history of lead materials in water pipes, the CuraFlo website has a brief discussion here.

-Dr. Dave