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• Lancashire Environment 2002
  • Foreward
  • Executive Summary
  • Introduction
  • Summary - What the indicators show
  • Bathing Water Quality
  • River Water Quality
  • Lead in Drinking Water
  • Radioactivity
  • Waste and Recycling
  • Landscape Character
  • Landscape - Historic Change
  • Landscape - Woodlands
  • Landscape - Ponds
  • Landscape - Farm Size and Type
  • Countryside
  • Heritage Assets
  • Wildlife
  • Traffic Levels
  • Global Atmosphere
  • Air Quality
  • Quality of the Urban Environment - Housing Condition
  • Quality of the Urban Environment - Urban Extent
  • Quality of the Urban Environment - Noise
  • Environmental & Social Deprivation
  • References
  • Appendix - How the indicators have been measured
  • Lancashire Environment 2002: What do you think?
• Landscape
• Minerals and Waste
• REMADE in Lancashire
• Public Rights of Way
• Ranger Service
• Rural Partnership
• School Grounds Development
• Structure Plan
• Waste Management

Lancashire Environment 2002

Lead in Drinking Water

Average concentrations of lead in drinking water have fallen by one third between 1991 and 2001, although it has not been a steady decline. Levels for all years remained within current European Standards.

Lead is a recognised human poison which can have harmful effects on infants, children, and pregnant women. Prolonged exposure to high concentrations can lead to serious neurological damage, contribute to low IQs and cause learning and behavioural problems.

High levels of lead in drinking water arise almost entirely from lead connections to water mains and from domestic plumbing.Older houses (pre 1970) are usually at greater risk.

The map reveals that there is wide variation within the County with failure rates of over ten per cent in some water supply zones.

Historical data for each zone is not easy to compile due to revisions in boundaries during the period.

What is the role of LCC and other agencies?

Lancashire's 1991 Green Audit 1 highlighted the problem of Lead in drinking water in the county and the County Council has done considerable lobbying to tackle the problem.

In recent years, United Utilities has introduced phosphate treatment of water supplies in order to reduce lead concentrations.The Company is currently in the process of treatment optimisation to deliver the lowest practicable levels of lead where there is evidence of non-compliance against the 10 g/l standard.

Grants are available from District Councils for the removal of lead pipes where the water is contaminated to the extent that it renders dwellings unfit for human habitation.

Weighted by Zone (g/l) per year
	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001
Average Lead Levels	12.5	18	15	12	14	12	11	7	7.3	7.5	8.5

Source: United Utilities
Includes data for Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen Unitary Authorities.

The Interim standard is 25g/l and comes into force in 25 Dec 2003. The new standard of 10g/l and comes into force in 2013.

Percentage per year
	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001
Samples	4.1	4.6	4.8	5	6.8	4.5	3	1.6	1.4	1.2	1.1

Source: United Utilities
Includes data for Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen Unitary Authorities.

Note: The palest green areas are areas in which United Utilities has no public water supply mains. Some of these areas are supplied with drinking water by Yorkshire Water; others are rural areas where properties have private supplies. United Utilities has introduced phosphate treatment of water supplies in order to reduce lead concentrations.The Company is currently in the process of treatment optimisation to deliver the lowest practicable levels of lead.

 

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