Which water is recommended for drinking and preparing food if lead pipes are present?

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Multiple Choice

Which water is recommended for drinking and preparing food if lead pipes are present?

Starting with the idea that lead can leach into water from pipes, the safest practice for drinking and cooking is to use cold water that has been flushed. Cold water is less likely to carry high levels of dissolved lead, and flushing helps replace water that has sat in lead-containing pipes with fresh water from the main supply, reducing exposure. Hot water should not be used for drinking or food preparation because heating water increases lead dissolution from pipes, raising the amount you ingest. Boiling water does not remove lead and can even concentrate it as water volume decreases, so it isn’t a remedy for lead in tap water. Bottled water can be a short-term option if you’re unable to ensure low-lead tap water, but the routine practice is to use cold, flushed tap water for drinking and cooking to minimize lead exposure.

Starting with the idea that lead can leach into water from pipes, the safest practice for drinking and cooking is to use cold water that has been flushed. Cold water is less likely to carry high levels of dissolved lead, and flushing helps replace water that has sat in lead-containing pipes with fresh water from the main supply, reducing exposure.

Hot water should not be used for drinking or food preparation because heating water increases lead dissolution from pipes, raising the amount you ingest. Boiling water does not remove lead and can even concentrate it as water volume decreases, so it isn’t a remedy for lead in tap water.

Bottled water can be a short-term option if you’re unable to ensure low-lead tap water, but the routine practice is to use cold, flushed tap water for drinking and cooking to minimize lead exposure.

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