You can’t smell it or taste it, so the only way to know if you have high levels of lead in your drinking water is to have the water tested.” “Boiling water does not reduce lead in water. ![]() “People have a lot of misconceptions about lead in drinking water,” he said. Lead often gets ignored because it does not have an odor or flavor that alerts people to its presence, Barrett said. So flushing is a safe first step to take.” “Legally, even new fixtures and faucets are allowed to have a certain amount of lead in them. “No matter how old your house is, whether you’re on a well or on a municipal or community water system, you should let the water run a little while each morning when you wake up before you take a drink,” Barrett said. ![]() Turning on the faucet and allowing it to run for at least 30 seconds pulls fresh water into the pipes and flushes out the contaminated water. Lead leaches into drinking water as the water sits in pipes overnight or any time when the faucets are not in use. The good news is that families can take steps to prevent lead poisoning.” “Lead poisoning can cause brain damage, learning difficulties, and delayed growth and development. “Because young children’s brains are growing and developing, they are more at risk from elevated lead levels in drinking water,” Barrett said. But flushing faucets each morning and using cold water for cooking and preparing baby bottles can greatly reduce exposure. ![]() Jason Barrett, an assistant Extension professor in the Mississippi Water Resources Research Institute, said lead in drinking water can harm children’s health. Two simple, daily steps can protect Mississippi’s youngest citizens from lead poisoning. Domain menu for Newtoncountyappeal (main)
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