Aqua America Offers Customers Video, Tips to Minimize Lead Exposure
October 19 2017 - 8:30AM
Business Wire
Water, wastewater utility recognizes Lead
Poisoning Prevention Week by encouraging homeowners to be mindful
of potential sources of lead in drinking water
Aqua America is encouraging customers to be mindful of potential
sources of lead in drinking water during Lead Poisoning Prevention
Week, Oct. 22 – 28. To help raise awareness, Aqua released a lead
education video that helps its customers who are homeowners to
understand the important role they play in ensuring their water is
lead free.
“Each day, Aqua strives to deliver clean, safe drinking water to
our customers,” said Christopher Crockett, chief environmental
officer at Aqua America. “While Aqua routinely tests water to
ensure that it is safe to drink, we are taking this opportunity to
educate customers on the significant dangers of lead exposure and
making sure customers understand the importance of safeguarding
their homes.”
There are two main sources of lead contamination in drinking
water: lead service lines that deliver water directly into homes
from the water mains in the street, and household plumbing
containing lead solder and brass fixtures. Lead in either of these
sources can cause damage to the brain and kidneys and interference
with the production of vital red blood cells. Infants, young
children and pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to the
effects.
Aqua owns service lines from the water main to the customer's
curb. If lead service lines are found during maintenance and
construction, the company takes responsibility to replace them with
modern service lines made without lead. If Aqua detects lead in the
portion of the service line owned by the customer, the company
alerts the customer and provides support to resolve the issue.
Customers are encouraged to work with a licensed plumber to
identify and replace lead-based pipes, fixtures and other materials
in their homes.
Aqua recommends the following tips for customers whose water
shows elevated levels of lead or who have concerns about possible
lead exposure:
- If your water hasn’t been used for
several hours, run the tap for 30 seconds to two minutes before
using it for drinking or cooking.
- Use cold water to cook and prepare baby
formula. Do not boil water to reduce lead. Lead dissolves more
easily into hot water so boiling water will not make it safe to
drink.
- Use National Sanitation
Foundation approved water filtration devices for effective
lead reduction. You can contact NSF International at 800.NSF.8010
or NSF.org to learn more about approved water filters.
- Be aware that brass faucets, fittings
and valves – even those advertised as lead free – might contribute
lead to drinking water. The law allows end-use fixtures, such as
faucets, with wetted surfaces containing a maximum weighted average
of 0.25 percent lead to be labeled as lead free.
- If you are concerned about exposure,
contact your local health department or healthcare provider to find
out how you can get tested for lead.
For more information on reducing lead exposure in your home,
view the educational video Aqua developed here. Aqua customers can
also call 877.987.2782 for information about having their water
tested for lead.
Aqua America is one of the largest U.S.-based, publicly traded
water utilities and serves nearly 3 million people in Pennsylvania,
Ohio, North Carolina, Illinois, Texas, New Jersey, Indiana and
Virginia. Aqua America is listed on the New York Stock Exchange
under the ticker symbol WTR. Visit AquaAmerica.com for more
information, or follow Aqua on Facebook at
facebook.com/MyAquaAmerica and on Twitter at @MyAquaAmerica.
WTRG
View source
version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171019005303/en/
Aqua AmericaStacey Hajdak, 610-520-6309M:
267-297-1866SMHajdak@AquaAmerica.com
Aqua America (NYSE:WTR)
Historical Stock Chart
From Mar 2024 to Apr 2024
Aqua America (NYSE:WTR)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2023 to Apr 2024