BRITS are being told to run their taps for two minutes before drinking or cooking to protect their families from being poisoned.
This comes as experts have warned a certain deadly metal could be present in some water sources in the UK.
In a letter, sent to people living in a block of flats in Lambeth, London, the council warned that dangerous levels of lead had been found in residents’ drinking water.
This comes just weeks after Brits were told to ration water as the experts warned the UK was experiencing a drought.
Exposure to lead can be especially harmful to unborn babies and young children.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) lead poisoning can reduce children’s IQ and can cause increased antisocial behaviour.
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It can also induce miscarriage and raise blood pressure in adults.
The block of flats is fitted out with lead pipes which were due to be replaced by July, after half the flats were reported to have elevated lead levels in their tap water.
Since then residents at Dorchester Court have had lead filters fitted to their taps but are still waiting for the pipes to be replaced.
Lambeth Council said: "The Public Health message to residents is that flushing advice be followed, even with filters fitted.
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"Thames Water has confirmed previously that filters do appear to help reduce lead levels in water, but this is not a long-term solution and the flushing advice still stands irrespective."
Lead poisoning occurs when lead enters the body, in most cases, this happens when small amounts of lead are consumed – normally unknowingly – over time.
These can build up and cause health problems.
What are the symptoms of lead poisoning in children?
Exposure to lead can be harmful, especially in young children. This is because children tend to absorb more lead than adults.
Children tend to absorb more lead than adults due to their growing bones and other organs , which the lead can be deposited in.
The signs and symptoms in young children can include:
- irritability and fatigue
- loss of appetite and weight loss
- abdominal pain
- vomiting
- constipation
- hearing loss
- developmental delay and learning difficulties
Even though children are at increased risk from lead poisoning and are likely to get very sick, adults are also at risk.
Symptoms in adults can include:
- high blood pressure
- abdominal pain
- constipation
- joint and muscle pain
- pain, numbness or tingling of the extremities
- headache
- miscarriage or premature birth in pregnant women
- fatigue
- memory loss
Causes of lead poisoning
Most people's risk of lead poisoning is very small as nowadays lead generally isn't used in so many everyday products like it was before.
Lead used to be used to make paints, petrol and food containers, amongst other items.
It means the risk of lead poisoning for the majority of people is now very low.
However, one of the main potential risks can be through drinking tap water if your property has lead pipes, a lead water tank or pipework with lead fittings.
In some cases this can result in lead contaminating the water supply.
How to preventing lead poisoning
The newer your house is, the less likely it's fitted with lead pipes.
If your house was built before 1970, there may be a small chance the pipe which connects your property to the water main in the street is made of lead.
To find out if your property has lead pipes there are a few places you can check, including under the kitchen sink and at the internal stop tap, usually found where your water supply enters your home.
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Look out for:
- unpainted lead pipes are dull grey and have rounded swollen joints where they join other pipes
- lead pipes are soft and if gently scraped you will see the shiny, silver-coloured metal appear underneath
- tapping a lead pipe with a metal object will produce a dull thud rather than the clear ringing sound produced by copper or iron pipes
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