Here is another thing to add to the long list of household dangers--garden hoses. Yes--the simple everyday garden hose hooked up to the sprinkler, or used to fill up the inflatable pool can be hazardous.
We learned of this today after doing some research into buying a new, cheap hose for the backyard. It seemed every site we read had a warning about not drinking from the hose because of lead contamination. Lead! In hoses?
Lead poisoning, even when there are no immediate symptoms of illness, can cause irreversible brain damage and a lowering of IQ.
Apparently, a form of PVC is often used to strenghten hoses, but PVC leaches lead when exposed to sunlight (which is why the PVC pipes underground in the dark are not a hazard). The lead levels in stagnant garden hose water can be up to 100 times or MORE the maximum for potable water. Yikes!
Many companies are now making hoses that are supposed to be "drinking safe". If you do not know whether or not your hose is safe, do NOT let your kids drink from it or refill their water bottles. If you buy a new hose, search the package for warning labels--many brands have a warning in fine print to not drink from the hose, others claim to be drinking safe--made with no lead or leach-free lead.
These "drinking safe" hoses do seem to be a bit pricier, $30+, but will be money well spent for peace of mind and healthy kids.
1 comments:
Thank you for your input!