What are the health risks of consuming water from lead pipes?

Lead found in drinking water can pose a significant health risk if too much enters the body. The population at the highest risk of lead exposure are infants, young children under the age of six, and pregnant women. Lead exposure targets specific areas of the body such as the nervous system, blood system, and the kidneys.

Lead is a toxic metal that poses immediate health effects. Prolonged exposure to lead has lasting impacts and can cause death in extreme cases. Prolonged exposure to lead has been linked to an increased risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease, and reduced fertility. Someone who has been exposed to lead overtime may experience nausea, abdominal pain, constipation, irritability or forgetfulness.

Pregnant women and young children are particularly vulnerable if exposed to lead, because the physical and behavioral effects of lead begin to appear at lower exposure levels in children than in adults. Low levels of exposure in children has been linked to:

• central and peripheral nervous system damage,
• learning disabilities,
• shorter stature,
• impaired hearing, and
• impaired formation and function of blood cells.

While people are more commonly exposed to lead through paint, soil, and dust, it is estimated that infants who consume mostly mixed formula can receive 40 percent to 60 percent of their exposure to lead through drinking water.

For more information on the risks of lead in drinking water, visit Health Canada’s website.