OT Lead Pipe

[FredC]

Man, I lived in Texas for many years and heard many a tall Texas tale, but that's a real whopper. Texas Rangers are some tough characters, but I don't think even one of them could live more than 4 or 5 days without water in that piece of Texas, sorely wounded, to boot.

He had no container to carry water but had to cross several rivers and creeks on the way. Probably got a drink every other day or so. The grievous wounds he had were the worse part of it. The apples that he ate were probably prickly pear apples (cactus) as there were no apple trees in the area. It was wide open country back then no houses and probably did not see a soul during the trek.

 

[GregSY]

Well, we've all been taught that anything that comes from the Earth is good, and anything made by man is bad. That's why I spend lots extra for organic food and organic Q-Tips.

But the idea that lead is 'leeching' into our water? Poppycock. First, that ignores a very basic fact - there isn't enough lead to make that much of a difference. That's hard, cold science and mathematics.

Second, if a person were really worried about 'our water' (I personally do not own any water), he/she/Ellen would be FAR more concerned with all the shit people dump down their toilets and sinks that doesn't get filtered by the water providers. I had a guy who works for a major municipality tell me that there is a lot of hormones in public water they they don't/can't treat or filter.... it comes from female contraceptives and other drugs/products that people ingest and pee out.

Emotional Science is the biggest thing to hit our country in our lifetimes. We take science, math, statistics then we add a big dose of emotion and that's what we now rely on.

Lead, schmead.

 

[Modelman]

As several have said, lead continued to be used for water services (from the street to the meter) well into the sixties, at least. Both my Dad's house in Chicago, built in 1951, and my first house in a Chicago suburb, built in 1948, had lead water services. I can recall houses being built in the early sixties with lead services. Why lead? Because unlike steel, it doesn't rust. It was cheaper than copper. And, it was somewhat flexible, so less likely to break due to ground settlement. The typical residential service in Chicago was 1-1/4" I.D. with about an 1/8" wall. It was not threaded, rather it was soldered to a brass or copper fitting, the solder being wiped into a graceful lump over the joint. As far as I know the lead was not coated, but naturally developed a insoluble oxide coating within a couple months of use. Of course, a change of water ph could strip that coating, which is what happened in Flint.

Those folks that live in houses built before the sixties should take a look at your water service. If the pipe has a goiter where it connects to the shut-off valve, it's very likely lead pipe.

Dennis

 

[APD]

Well, we've all been taught that anything that comes from the Earth is good, and anything made by man is bad. That's why I spend lots extra for organic food and organic Q-Tips.

That is a dumb oversimplication, and I think you know it.

But the idea that lead is 'leeching' into our water? Poppycock. First, that ignores a very basic fact - there isn't enough lead to make that much of a difference. That's hard, cold science and mathematics.

Do you know the story of Clair Patterson, the cold, hard, scientist?

Second, if a person were really worried about 'our water' (I personally do not own any water), he/she/Ellen would be FAR more concerned with all the shit people dump down their toilets and sinks that doesn't get filtered by the water providers. I had a guy who works for a major municipality tell me that there is a lot of hormones in public water they they don't/can't treat or filter.... it comes from female contraceptives and other drugs/products that people ingest and pee out.

Lead, schmead.

That is true. And People are concerned. People that are actual cold,hard, scientists. Discussing one particular contaminant doesn't negate the effects/or importance of others.

 

[sfriedberg]

But the idea that lead is 'leeching' into our water? Poppycock. First, that ignores a very basic fact - there isn't enough lead to make that much of a difference.

GregSY, I don't know you well enough to know if that's written with massive sarcasm, tongue firmly planted in cheek, or if you really believe it. But if you really believe it, you need to do a bit of reading and educate yourself better on those hard, cold facts, because the facts are entirely contrary to your statement. Lead in drinking water is very definitely a problem, and has been for more than a millenium (the Romans used lead water pipes). Many cities around the world have been struggling to replace lead water mains, and lead-soldered house plumbing, for decades, since we got quantitative evidence on the magnitude of the problem and the direct health impacts it causes.

 

[JoeE.]

The city water department went around town and replaced the lead in our service lines about 10 years ago. From the cast iron main out in the street to the meter in my yard... all lead. My house is probably 1920 or so.

They pulled it out, put in 1" pex in it's place, and put in a RFID water meter... and after they did that, I trenched from the meter to the house and replaced the galvanized steel with ¾" pex. The steel had corroded apart and was leaking....and was nearly plugged solid with mineral buildup~ 100 years worth!

I'd venture a guess that the lead, being flexible/malleable, was the pex of it's day....they laid the cast iron main out through the city... ran a tap off the main for each house... plumbed with lead up into the yard to where they'd put a meter box, then it was up to the house builder to run from the meter into the house.

 

[Superbowl]

I am in the real estate business an I can tell you for sure that many old houses have lead pipes from the street into the house. Here is a link from the District of Columbia water department for those unbelievers.
https://www.dcwater.com/leadmap

 

[machinistrrt]

It was Col Mustard, in the Music Room, with the Lead Pipe.

This is a problem that should have been dealt with long ago, perhaps as a part of an EPA megaproject. I haven't seen any details on how much lead leaches out of a soldered joint, but requiring lead free solder in new construction seems reasonable.

 

[dlaw]

I redid my fathers 1940s house in the late 1960s. The only lead I found was was that used to caulk the cast iron soil pipe. A plumber loaned me his lead pot, propane tank & gave my 40 pounds of 1 inch lead pipe he removed from South Saint Paul Minnesota buildings in years gone past. He also loaned me the castiron soilpipe cutter & gave me Oakum, caulking irons & the rope & clamp to make up the new caulked castiron joints. I was only 20 but must have done well as the job has never leaked in the house I still live in. 120 ft of trench in sandstone was dug with jackhammers for the brand new city sewer/water feed. (I never want to see another jackhammer)

 

[TDegenhart]

Lead service lines were REQUIRED by Chicago building code until 1986.

Tom

 

[doug8cat]

I live in Philly PA USA and currently have lead pipe in my house built in 65. Mind you it is a Drain line, but still releasing a very small amount into the environment. It is on its last legs and I am probably going to have to dig up part of my kitchen floor to replace it. I'm sure Biden will foot the bill for me.

 

[john.k]

Lead pipes are tolerant of soil movement and building settlement........one of the renters on my land left a large quantity of small bore lead pipe,1/4" and 3/8" with some as big as 1"......the scrapyard guy said the small stuff was gas pipe,from the old coalgas days ,and the 1" for water reticulation .......Far as I know ,lead water pipe is safe in alkaline (hard ) water areas.....dangerous with soft ,or rainwater ,or organic acidity in the water.

 

[daryl bane]

It was mercury, my memory was faulty, as usual. Maybe making too many motorcycle cable fittings.....

 

[john.k]

.mad hatter is from the mercury salts used to matt the rabbit fur in top hats .....rabbit fur is still used for hats .....although some quality pith helmets for tropical use had a layer of lead foil to make them waterproof in heavy rain .

 

[daryl bane]

You're correct , I deleted my post or tried to.

 

[GregSY]

That bit about the Romans getting lead poisoning has been around for years. It's entirely possible, but it'll never be proven...and that's exactly the type of 'fact' people love when they start posturing. But in any case, the Romans had 100% lead piping, and you can bet it wasn't well made. It probably was flaking off when new.

I hear a lot of talk about how many house have lead pipes. What's the actual percentage? There are hundreds of entire communities that have been built in this country well after lead pipe lost favor. I'll bet less than 5% of all dwellings have lead pipe. Does any of you see any difference between 5% and 100%? This is sort of like the whole transgender fiasco.....people getting their panties in a wad over the .000001% of the population.

Some houses - a minority by far - have lead pipes. Guess what? Life's not perfect. Over time, fewer and fewer houses will have lead pipe due to natural attrition. There are far more important things to worry about, if you must.

 

[Trboatworks]

Out in front of my house some old wood water mains are still burned in the street- I got a glimpse of them during some service work.
Interesting- staved like barrels and steel strand wrap.

 

[Bobw]

3/4" NOT 3/5"
Sorry

Well, that sucks, you old guys aren't as cool as I thought.

If I was alive way back then and an engineer. I would have made everything
22/7ths. Or a multiple thereof. Just to be an asshole.

 

[dalmatiangirl61]

Out in front of my house some old wood water mains are still burned in the street- I got a glimpse of them during some service work.
Interesting- staved like barrels and steel strand wrap.

How is it that they have not rotted out by now? My town used to have a wood water main like that, only above ground, the wood is all gone, but the steel wrap and concrete supports are still up on the mountain. Entire water/waste system in my town was updated a few years before I got here, nice to know there is no lead, but it also means you get a bill even when meter is off, it was done on a USDA loan that has to be repaid.

 

[GregSY]

Probably the same reason they can dredge up 200 year old logs from a river and the wood inside is still good. Or how the outer layers of a roll of hay get yucky but the insides stay good.