As everyone takes steps to create an eco-friendly healthier kitchen they often forget the importance of choosing the right faucet. Lead is rarely found in source water, but enters tap water through corrosion of plumbing materials. Most faucets in the market are actually made of "brass" and are electroplated in various tones and colors.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates lead in drinking water to protect public health. Lead may cause health problems if present in public or private water supplies in amounts greater than the drinking water standard set by EPA. "The most common problem with brass or chrome-plated brass faucets is that they can leach significant amounts of lead into the water, especially hot water." (United States Environmental Protection Agency)
Although the main sources of exposure to lead are ingesting paint chips and inhaling dust, the United States Environment Protection Agency estimates that 10 to 20 percent of human exposure to lead may come from lead in drinking water.
What are lead's health effects?
Infants and children who drink water containing lead in excess of the action level could experience delays in their physical or mental development. Children could show slight deficits in attention span and learning abilities. Adults who drink this water over many years could develop kidney problems or high blood pressure.
This health effects language is not intended to catalog all possible health effects for lead. Rather, it is intended to inform consumers of the most significant and probable health effects, associated with lead in drinking water.
In California going "green" isn't just a trend... it's the law!
Beginning January 2010, California State Law will require that ALL faucets be replaced with "Lead-Free" compliant products. The California law that was passed is Assembly Bill 1953. It lowers the amount of lead that a faucet may be comprised of from 8% to less than 0.25%. After January 2010, all California schools, businesses and homes will have faucets that are effectively obsolete due to the new law's strict requirements. Maryland has a similar law going into effect on January 2012 and the U.S. Safe Drinking Water Act will make this a national requirement in January 2014.
On a larger scale, Castle Bay stainless steel faucets deliver safe, healthy water for drinking and cooking and are compliant with the California Assembly Bill 1953 which becomes effective January 2010, in addition to the existing NSF-61. Castle Bay is committed to provide healthy and smart choice to consumers by investing into a more expensive but superior technology.
