An annual drinking water quality report published by the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) has shown drinking water in England and Wales to be safe, reliable and meeting stringent standards – but there remains a warning about lead.
Many properties can still be affected by lead pipes, which are mostly found in older homes, and lead solder, which some plumbers are using illegally on plumbing for wholesome drinking water, according to WaterSafe.
The national register for plumbers and the Drinking Water Inspectorate are encouraging homeowners and businesses with a plumber working in their property to ask them to check for lead water pipes.
The use of lead pipes in the UK was banned on new installations more than 30 years ago, as well as the use of lead solder on new and existing water pipes.
Julie Spinks, director of WaterSafe, said: “We’d encourage anyone who has an approved plumber working in their property to ask them to take a couple of minutes to check for lead pipes, and to check their plumber is only using unleaded solder if working on plumbing supplying wholesome drinking water.”
The annual report by the Drinking Water Inspectorate shared one example of high levels of lead in the water tested at a care home, where an inspection by the local water company revealed lead solder had been used by an inexperienced plumber on the fittings, a practice which is illegal.
A spokesperson for the DWI said: “It is critical that public building owners only use approved plumbers to avoid such risks particularly where there are vulnerable populations.”
Elsewhere, another water company which took water samples from outside taps, many at churches, due to restrictions entering homes during lockdown, recorded a 500% increase in breaches of lead levels in water samples in the report.