Water Well Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/498253
to reduce our inventory of lead-containing parts prior to the federal law being put into place." The website www.Weareleadfree.net is provided by water products manufacturer Watts Water to help contractors navi- gate the changes the new rule brings to business practices. Well researched, it has extensive information, including frequently asked questions and a timeline of lead laws. Williams admits he's concerned some contractors may have been caught off guard by the federal rule despite promo- tional efforts by national and state agencies and by trade associations. "It's important to keep up with the federal regulations in our industry, which is what NGWA strives to help contractors do," he says. Changes Since the Rule Went Effective in January 2014 Legislators and public interest groups in different parts of the country have already been grappling with furthering lead laws since the new rules went into effect on January 4, 2014. Some individuals want lead not just removed from drink- ing water, but also from other areas whose constituents can eventually find their way to drinking water sources. The Cen- ter for Biological Diversity has a campaign called "Get the Lead Out" regarding lead in ammunition. The campaign's website states: In the United States an estimated 3,000 tons of lead are shot into the environment by hunting every year, another 80,000 tons are released at shooting ranges, and 4,000 tons are lost in ponds and streams as fishing lures and sinkers—while as many as 20 million birds and other animals die each year from subsequent lead poisoning. But with regard to water, the January 4, 2014 date meant system installers could no longer use product that did not meet the 0.25% lead-free calculations. This includes back inventory, which left some contractors with new, unused product that had to be scrapped. California's Prop 65 Proposition 65 is a broad-sweeping legislative act in Cali- fornia applying to any and all products containing lead. It was enacted in 1986 in response to demands of residents for their state government to take inventory of toxic chemicals and outlaw them. The law soon came to be known as the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986. And even though it got a name change, it is still known across the state as "Prop 65." The act now regulates more than 800 chemicals, including lead and other heavy metals, "known to cause cancer or birth defects or other reproductive harm." The list is reviewed annually and chemicals added or removed as needed. The website of the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard and Assessment states: Proposition 65 requires businesses to notify Californians about significant amounts of chemicals in the products they pur- chase, in their homes or workplaces, or that are released into the environment. By providing this information, Proposition LEAD-FREE from page 45 46 May 2015 WWJ waterwelljournal.com