Does Reverse Osmosis Remove Lead?

The Dangers of Lead Poisoning

Lead poisoning is a danger that can affect any person, no matter what age. So much so, that 1991 introduced the Lead and Copper Rule brought forward by the EPA, which looked to monitor drinking water in customer taps and regulate contaminants. 

A revision to this regulation in 2007 ensured consumers receive timely and useful information when it comes to their water from the companies that supplied it. 

In 1996 there were amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act, which established protective drinking water standards and the more than 90 contaminants that could not be present in water used by the public community. There are plenty of regulations when it comes to combating and preventing pollutants in water, particularly lead. 

However, why is this the case? 

What exactly are the dangers of lead poisoning, and why should you be weary of keeping your home completely lead-free?

Lead poisoning can be pretty serious business, especially when it comes to the various acute and chronic health problems.

Symptoms of Lead Poisoning 

Lead poisoning can cause a person to develop a number of symptoms. These symptoms may include: 

• Abdominal pain
• Constipation
• Headaches
• Weakness
• Pain or tingling in hands and/or feet
• Fatigue
• & other symptoms 

Because a large number of the symptoms mentioned above can often be explained away due to a variety of other different medical conditions, this can oftentimes cause lead poisoning to go unnoticed, often until symptoms are much worse or even life-threatening. Long exposure to lead can worsen the degree of lead poisoning in individuals, often resulting in fatal consequences.(2)

Lead poisoning has been a particular issue when it comes to the matter of small children, as this can ultimately affect their development and health. If you have little ones in the home, it is extremely important you address any lead issues that are in your water supply.

According to the CDC, “lead poisoning symptoms in children include developmental delay, learning difficulties, irritability, loss of appetite, weight loss, sluggishness and fatigue, abdominal pain, vomiting, and constipation”. (4)

How Can I Tell If There’s Lead In My Water? 

Lead in water cannot be seen, smelled, or tasted, which can cause a problem when it comes to trying to detect lead in your home. How can you tell when there’s something wrong with your water, and specifically if there is lead in it? 

There are a few ways you may be able to determine if there is lead in your home’s water supply, so you can intervene with the right solutions. 

If you are curious to know whether your water contains lead, you can check your local water utility’s Consumer Confident Report (CCR). All public community water systems must provide a CCR every year, highlighting your water’s drinking quality. The EPA also has a Public Notification Rule which requires all public water systems to alert consumers if there is a problem with their drinking water 

Being mindful of these resources can help you stay alert in the case any problem may arise with your water. 

Does Reverse Osmosis Remove Lead From Water? 

Are you curious about how to remove lead from water at home? If you’ve been assessing your home and have concluded there are problems with lead in your water, it is crucial to act fast. Long exposure to lead can have grave consequences on your health and the health of your household members.

Reverse osmosis is a form of water purification process that can filter out contaminants from water, which can make it safe and drinkable. The reverse osmosis process uses a synthetic lining to separate forms of contaminants and sediments from water, leaving it in a clean state. Reverse osmosis is effective because it purifies water down to a molecular level, making sure to leave refined water that is ready to be used and free of any microorganisms.  

How Does Reverse Osmosis Work? 

To understand how reverse osmosis works to remove a variety of contaminants from water, it is very important to understand how the opposite works as well. Osmosis means water passes through a semipermeable membrane from a less concentrated solution into a more concentrated one. This means pure water passes through a filter into contaminated water to equalize concentrations. 

In reverse osmosis, contaminants are removed, leaving water in a pure and clean state. The process for reverse osmosis is as follows: 

1. Water is pushed from a high concentration of contaminants to a low concentration of contaminants. 
2. It’s forced through a membrane passage, which makes it easier for water and other ions to separate. 
3. While water passes through the membrane, the other elements left behind become a salty concentrate.  
4. Reverse osmosis results in clean drinkable water. Depending on the type of reverse osmosis system, anywhere from 90% to 99% of lead contaminants can be successfully removed from water. (5) 

If you are looking for a plumbing-free and budget-friendly option that can help remove lead from your water to leave it clean and contaminant-free, a water filtration system may be a perfect choice. Reverse osmosis may be very costly for a standard budget because it takes up so much electricity and energy to complete the process. It also requires plumber installation, and there is an improperly installed RO system can result in leaks and flooding.

A reliable water filter can do the trick instead. For example, the Aquagear pitcher removes more than 2000% of contaminants compared to its leading competitor, including lead, pesticides, and other harmful elements that make their way into your drinking water. Any homeowner will want to ensure their water is being purified through the most effective system around! 

Remove Lead From Your Water with Aquagear 

If you know there is an issue of lead in your home’s water supply, the most effective way besides reverse osmosis to remove lead and allow your water to be safe and drinkable is to invest in quality filter products. The right water filtration product should be able to provide some much-needed filtration in place of reverse osmosis, helping you save money and energy as well. 

Aquagear pitchers are an eco-friendly and compact water filtration system that leaves homeowners with peace of mind when it comes to clean water quality. Our pitchers help when it comes to filtering out water contaminants, such as lead, chlorine, microplastics, and more. When your water is high quality and safe, you will feel more at ease.

Aquagear can remove lead and other contaminants, and it does so while saving you time and money. Take the right steps to keep your home well-stocked with safe and clean water by investing in a top-shelf water filter today!

References 

1. Center For Disease Control and Prevention “Lead”. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/lead/health.html#:~:text=Because%20these%20symptoms%20may%20occur,lead%20exposure%20can%20cause%20death.
2. Hodge, J. et al. “Small Area Surveillance To Estimate Prevalence of Childhood Blood and Environmental Lead Levels” Center For Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/BLL_PrevalenceStudy_TrainingManual_Final_508.pdf
3. United States Environmental Protection Agency “Basic Information About Lead In Drinking Water”. https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/basic-information-about-lead-drinking-water#:~:text=Since%20you%20cannot%20see%2C%20taste,costs%20between%20%2420%20and%20%24100.
4. Center For Disease Control and Prevention “Lead”. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/lead/health.html#:~:text=Because%20these%20symptoms%20may%20occur,lead%20exposure%20can%20cause%20death.
5. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/osmosis