Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 11.1 Occurrence of
lead pipes in Europe (KIWA
1998
)
Country
percent Pb
communication
pipes
percent Pb supply pipes
or internal Pb plumbing
Belgium
19
15
-
30
Denmark
0
0
France
39
38
Germany
3
9
Greece
<1
0
Ireland
50
51
Italy
2 (?)
5
-
10
Luxembourg
7
0
Netherlands
6
8
Portugal
?
32
Spain
>3 (?)
?
UK
40
41
the installation. Lead piping has never been used to any large extent, and no lead
pipes are in use today either in the main distribution networks or in domestic
installations (see Table
11.1
).
Where there is very hard water, copper release from copper pipes and zinc
release from hot dip galvanised steel pipes are likely to be high after stagnation in
some areas of Denmark. For these areas, plastic and stainless steel are the common
pipe materials for new installations. Nickel release from taps can be very high in
many water types, and the general advice from the Danish Ministry of the Envi-
ronment (Danish Ministry of the Environment and GEUS
2014
) and the water-
works is to discard the
0.3 l of water that has been stagnant in the pipes for
a long time, e.g. overnight. Studies conducted in Copenhagen, Denmark, found that
nickel was leaching from chromium
rst 0.2
-
nickel-plated brass after periods of water
stagnation. The Danish Waterworks Association generally recommends
-
flushing
until the water is cold after stagnation over a long period, e.g. overnight, to avoid
drinking water that may contain some metallic contamination from the pumps,
pipes, and home water installations.
Denmark
s long campaign to improve water quality has involved many separate
initiatives: investing in wastewater and sewage treatment, regulating and reducing
the use and thus the discharge of fertilizers from agriculture, banning the use of
chemicals that endanger groundwater, and cleaning up deposits of dangerous
substances from former times.
It is clear that where there is determination to confront the threat from lead in
drinking water, a great deal can be done to enhance public health and safety. The
example of Denmark is worth emulating. All that is required is political will,
adequate tax and fee revenue, and a sound government administration committed to
scienti
'
c measurement of lead.
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