Lead: where can I find out more?
Drinking Water Inspectorate: Lead in Drinking Water
Sets out the Drinking Water Inspectorate's general background of lead in drinking water in England and Wales, and what action can be taken.
View article on lead in drinking water (PDF 100 KB opens in a new window)
Watersafe Website
View the Watersafe video on how to check for lead water pipes in properties
SCHER: Lead Standard in Drinking Water
Scientific Committee on Health and the Environmental Risks (SCHER) provide the European Commission with the scientific advice it needs when preparing policy and proposals relating to consumer safety, public health and the environment. In 2011, it completed a review of the lead standard.
View article on lead standard in drinking water (PDF 169 KB opens in a new window)
Health and Safety Executive: Working Safely with Lead
Provides guidance on preventative actions that can be taken if lead is an issue in the workplace. It includes:
- Control of lead at work
- Lead and You – Working Safely with lead
- MDHS – Lead and inorganic compounds of lead in air
View article on working safely with lead on the Health and Safety Excutive website
Health Protection Agency: A Children’s Environment and Health Strategy for the UK
Action on lead in drinking water is identified as a key contributor to the Regional Priority Goal 1.
View article on lead in drinking water and children's health (PDF 3,005 KB opens in a new window)
International Lead Association
Visit the International Lead Association website
Recent literature on health effects of lead
US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Updated Guidelines on Children’s Lead Exposure
This article details CDC’s rationale in 2012 for dropping the intervention level for lead in blood from 10 µg/dL to 5 µg/dL as a pragmatic approach to the lack of any safe level for lead being identified.
View article on children's lead exposure
World Health Organization: Water safety in buildings
This document provides guidance for managing water supplies in buildings where people may drink water; use water for food preparation; wash, shower, swim or use water for other recreational activities; or be exposed to aerosols produced by water-using devices, such as cooling towers. These uses occur in a variety of buildings, such as hospitals, schools, child and aged care, medical and dental facilities, hotels, apartment blocks, sports centres, commercial buildings and transport terminals.
View report on water safety in buildings (PDF 785 KB opens in a new window)