FAQs

Lead is a naturally-occurring element that can appear in trace amounts through the environment. However, lead can enter drinking water when pipes and plumbing fixtures that contain lead corrode, especially where the water has high acidity or low mineral content. In Brunswick County, it was never practice to use lead material in service lines, but it was not formally banned until 1986. For homes without lead service lines, the most common source of lead in drinking water comes from plumbing that has lead solder or faucets that are chrome-plated.

Brunswick County has been accepted by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) as a non-lead system. This means, by historical data, physical inspections, and the standards of the lead and copper rule, that all of the service lines in the BCPU system are made of a non-lead material. This most commonly means plastic, galvanized iron, or copper pipe.

Not necessarily, though all service lines in BCPU's system are non-lead. Lead can enter drinking water through sources other than the service line. If you have chrome-plated faucets, interior plumbing made of lead materials, or a lead connector in the line on the property, you have a risk of lead contamination in your drinking water.

Exposure to lead in drinking water can cause serious health effects in all age groups. Infants and children exposed to lead can have increased risk of behavior and learning problems, lower IQ, and shorter attention spans. The children of women who are exposed to lead before or during pregnancy can have increased risk of these adverse health effects. Adults exposed to lead can have increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, reproductive issues, and kidney or nervous system problems.

No. If you think your home's drinking water is at risk of lead exposure, boiling water does NOT remove lead. Water pitcher filters with activated carbon cartridges are a good method to filtering out lead contamination.