Do you know what is in the water your children are drinking? Young children are particularly vulnerable to the toxic effects of lead that can be found in contaminated water. They can suffer profound and permanent adverse health effects, particularly affecting the development of the brain and nervous system. An easy way to prevent this is by checking your water to make sure it is free of contaminants before giving to your children!

Many are accustomed to watching water crises play out at a safe distance while unaware that there is a strong chance they too are chronically ingesting harmful metals from 'first draw' water. This is because metals like lead and copper can leach into water left sitting in plumbing for even a few minutes, increasing the likelihood of contamination in the first glass of water you drink from the tap in the morning. The longer water sits in the pipes, the more lead it can have. To reduce the amount of lead in drinking water, the EPA recommends flushing your pipes before drinking if a faucet has not been used for at least six hours. You can flush the water in the pipes by running the water until it gets cold, anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes. (To reduce lead levels, the EPA also recommends using only cold water for drinking, cooking and making baby formula as hot water will likely have higher levels of lead.)