What it is
Lead is a soft, grey metal. It has no taste, smell or colour in water, so the only way to know whether it is present is a laboratory test.
Where it comes from
Lead almost never comes from the source water itself. It dissolves into water from lead pipes, from lead solder on copper pipework, and from some older brass taps and fittings. Houses built or re-plumbed before 1970 are the most likely to have lead somewhere between the main and the kitchen tap. Soft, slightly acidic water picks up more lead than hard water, and water that has stood in the pipes overnight carries more than water that has been running.
Why it matters
Lead builds up in the body over time. Babies, young children and unborn children are the most sensitive, because even low levels can affect brain development. In adults, long-term exposure is linked to raised blood pressure and kidney effects. For this reason the guideline value is set as low as is practical, and health advice is to reduce exposure wherever lead is found.
What can be done about it
The permanent fix is to replace the lead pipework or fittings, which a Pozzani engineer can identify for you. Where that is not immediately possible, a point-of-use filter certified for lead removal at the kitchen tap, or running the tap until the water runs cold before drinking after it has stood for several hours, both reduce the amount you take in. On a private supply, correcting a low pH also makes the water less likely to dissolve metal.
Information last reviewed 5 October 2026 by Pozzani Pure Water.