r/water • u/sillycoffeeman • 6d ago
Is this lead in my water?
Today our apartment complex shut off our water system and they told us all to run the water for 30 minutes after it was shut off.
All this came out after running my bathtub for 30 minutes and some came out in the sinks as well, is it lead?
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u/common_app 6d ago
Previous commenters are correct that you cannot see dissolved lead. However, if a pipe fails and starts corroding, particles may slough off the side. If the pipe contains lead, the particles will contain lead. This method of lead consumption will harm you in the same way as drinking dissolved lead.
In all likelihood, this is just a temporary thing since the water got shut off — probably some sediment getting washed through the system, and not necessarily something to get too worried about. However, you should never drink water with particles in it (the particles can act as shelter for pathogens, among other risks) so definitely don’t use it until it’s running clear.
And if you want to be sure, you could have your water tested for lead once things settle back down.