I just attended a “lead in faucets” seminar conducted by one of our leading plumbing supply companies. I discovered some interesting facts. People have been ingesting lead in water since Roman times. The Romans began transporting water via stone viaducts. Once lead was discovered they switched to lead pipes to carry the water. Some historians think that the lead and its effects on the nervous system and brain contributed to the fall of Rome. But, what we are concerned with, are more modern times. We all think of code compliance as a bit of a pain. But one of the most positive code changes affected faucets manufactured since 1997. Since that time all faucets sold in this country can contain only very small percentages of lead. Since lead is dissolved in the water stream the maximum amount of dissolved lead in water contributed by the faucet can be no more than 8 parts per billion (California standard). The high lead problem remains if water stands in the faucet for more than six hours (over night). During that time the percentage of lead leached into the first gush of water is significantly higher than the standard. Have you ever tasted water that has a bitter or metallic flavor? It could be the metals that have leached into the water from the piping. Older lead soldered copper pipe can also contribute significantly to the lead contamination. It is highly recommended that all faucets be flushed for 60-90 seconds prior to consuming water if the faucet has not been used for some time. Some water filter systems contribute to the leaching effect of metals. The higher the corrosive factors in water the higher the concentrations of lead. Some of the systems on the market today alter the properties of water making it more corrosive. Also, hot water and water heaters especially the instant hot type of systems if plumbed through the faucet can lead to higher concentrations. If instant hot dispensers are used they should have their own mini faucet. These mini faucets arelined with either plastic or chromed pipe that contains no lead. You should always prepare food using cold water as cold water leaches less. One of the factors in most new homes is the use of plastic piping (pex). Plastic piping has been on the scene for about fifteen years. This product while perceived by the consumer as a cheap alternative it is actually better for you and has no lead or other metals that can leach into the water stream.