New global commitment announced to eliminate lead from all drinking water supply systems by 2040.
New global commitment announced to eliminate lead from all drinking water supply systems by 2040. Image supplied by World Plumbing Council
A consortium of governments, manufacturers and civil society partners at the United Nations (UN) 2023 Water Conference launched a global commitment to achieve lead-free drinking water.
There is an urgent need to reduce human exposure to lead in the environment, which includes lead in drinking water. Lead is an invisible, odourless and tasteless chemical contaminant present in water supply systems worldwide. This toxin irreversibly impacts neurological and cognitive development.
Exposure in childhood or during pregnancy can cause lifelong harm. Globally, 800 million children have elevated levels of lead in their blood.
The primary source of lead in many drinking water systems is lead-containing pipes and parts that leach lead into the water. New systems across the globe continue to be built with unsafe materials despite growing awareness of the long-term dangers posed by lead in drinking water.
Founding members of the consortium presented “A Global Pledge to Protect Drinking Water from Lead,” which is focused on building momentum around local and global initiatives to progressively reduce lead exposure from drinking water in order to protect public health.
The pledge highlights actions to eliminate the use of lead-leaching parts in the construction of new drinking water systems and to improve the monitoring and remediation of existing systems that leach lead into drinking water.
“In order for water and sanitation resources to be sustainable, there must be a strong local industry to support it,” says Tom Bigley, World Plumbing Council Chair. “This is why skilled labour must be a part of the solution in helping to deliver clean water free from lead and other contaminants. It makes perfect sense for us to wholeheartedly support the goal and ideals of the Global Lead Pledge at the United Nations. We look forward to working with industry associations worldwide to support better design and governance of water and sanitation systems, and to advance education and training of workers critical to providing lead-free drinking water.”
Founding members of the consortium include the governments of Ghana, South Africa and Uganda; the World Health Organization; World Vision; WaterAid; the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation; LIXIL; RTI International; the Rural Water Supply Network; the Skat Foundation; the University of Leeds; The Water Institute at UNC; the International Water Association; the International, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Foundation (IWSH); the World Plumbing Council; and the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO).
Source: World Plumbing Council
