What's the issue?
We invest millions of pounds into minimising the risk of lead in your drinking water. There is no lead in the drinking water in the water mains network.
When water leaves our treatment works and water mains it doesn’t contain lead. Despite this, the pipes owned by public buildings, and homeowners, can affect their own drinking water and this is where we want to help. Lead can be found in the pipework that goes from our water main into your property. Lead can also be found in brass fittings and lead-based solder used on copper pipes.
Traces of lead in your water can be harmful because of the way it can build up in the body. Those particularly at risk are pregnant mothers and children under the age of six, as lead can have an adverse impact on mental development. Lead is particularly harmful to the nervous system of children and unborn babies as their brains are still developing. Children can absorb 4-5 times more lead than adults.
The World Health Organisation advises that there is no safe level of lead in drinking water. As it is best to minimise your level of lead intake as much as possible, we think it’s best to remove the lead pipe and replace it, which is why we are offering to upgrade your pipes, for free*.
Why do I qualify?
For a limited time only, we are completing this work for free at community buildings and residential properties that are used to offer services to children.
If your building is used to offer services to children, you are eligible to have the lead supply pipe replaced by Essex & Suffolk Water.
There will be no charge from us to replace your lead pipes. To do this in future, this may cost you around £1,500.
*subject to survey assessment.