Which water should be used for drinking and preparing food if lead pipes are present?

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Multiple Choice

Which water should be used for drinking and preparing food if lead pipes are present?

Lead in plumbing can contaminate water that sits in pipes. Using water that comes from the cold tap and flushing it before use helps reduce the amount of lead you could ingest. Cold water is less aggressive at leaching lead than hot water, and hot water can dissolve more lead from pipes, fixtures, or solder. Boiling water doesn’t remove lead and can concentrate it if water is reduced. So, for drinking and cooking, run the cold tap to flush out any water that has been sitting in pipes and then use the water that comes out cold. If there’s concern about lead, you can use bottled water or a certified lead-removing filter, or consider replacing lead-containing pipes.

Lead in plumbing can contaminate water that sits in pipes. Using water that comes from the cold tap and flushing it before use helps reduce the amount of lead you could ingest. Cold water is less aggressive at leaching lead than hot water, and hot water can dissolve more lead from pipes, fixtures, or solder. Boiling water doesn’t remove lead and can concentrate it if water is reduced. So, for drinking and cooking, run the cold tap to flush out any water that has been sitting in pipes and then use the water that comes out cold. If there’s concern about lead, you can use bottled water or a certified lead-removing filter, or consider replacing lead-containing pipes.

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