harvesting rainwater from a lead roof

[jonathan.ives]

Is it safe to collect rainwater from a roof with a flat leaded area. This would be for watering plants. Many thanks

[Chris Bacon]

Yes.

[Dave Fawthrop]

|Is it safe to collect rainwater from a roof with a flat leaded area. |This would be for watering plants. Many thanks

Probably, but I would not *Drink* it. I would get it analysed, just to be on the safe side.

[Steve Firth]

It would be safe to collect it.

I'd think twice before using it to water plants. OTOH since it's probably going into a soakaway under the garden at the moment, what more harm could it do?

[Dave Fawthrop]

|On 24 May 2006 18:13:32 +0200, Chris Bacon wrote: | |> jonathan.ives wrote: |>> Is it safe to collect rainwater from a roof with a flat leaded area. | |It would be safe to collect it. | |>> This would be for watering plants. Many thanks | |I'd think twice before using it to water plants. OTOH since it's probably |going into a soakaway under the garden at the moment, what more harm could |it do?

Get into flowers, no problem. Get into vegetables Hmmmmm.

[Mary Fisher]

Yes.

Lead on a roof would have oxidised very quickly, the resulting coating would be insoluble in water.

The mains water to our house comes through lead pipes.

Mary

>

[Dave Fawthrop]

About time you thought about replacing them.

Mains water in soft water areas has calcium carbonate added to reduce the tendency of lead to dissolve. I saw them adding it years ago>

Rain water is by definition very soft, and will dissolve lead fast.

[The Natural Philosopher]

yes.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Ah...THAT explains it...;-)

[The Natural Philosopher]

Thats why mediaeval flashing on church rooves has all long since disappeared then?

[Mary Fisher]

They are before the stop tap. They are Yorkshire Water's responsibility.

No, that's not why it's added. It's about preventing furring of human arteries, not water pipes.

No it won't, but in any case it doesn't get into contact with lead on the roof or in pipes. Lead is a very reactive material and oxidises before your eyes. That's why when you're doing lead plumbing you need to prevent the oxidation to allow soldering, with tallow or some other flux.

[David Hansen]

On Wed, 24 May 2006 19:45:32 +0100 someone who may be Dave Fawthrop wrote this:-

Unless the water ponds on the roof for long periods I don't suppose it would pick up much lead.

As for the effect, perhaps something to ask in a gardening group.

[Chris Bacon]

No point.

[Chris Bacon]

No, that's down to other reasons which are not to do with lead "dissolving" in water.

[Dave Fawthrop]

|> |> Is it safe to collect rainwater from a roof with a flat leaded area. |> |> This would be for watering plants. Many thanks |> | |> |Yes. |> | |> |Lead on a roof would have oxidised very quickly, the resulting coating |> would |> |be insoluble in water. |> | |> |The mains water to our house comes through lead pipes. |>

|> About time you thought about replacing them. | | | |They are before the stop tap. They are Yorkshire Water's responsibility.

If mine were lead *anywhere*, I would do something about it, whoever's responsibility they are. At least I would sample the water first thing in a morning when water in the copper pipe has gone down the sink, and the water which has been in the lead pipe overnight and send it to Yorkshire water for analysis, reserving a second and third samples for yourself.

Do not let them take the samples!

They will replace the lead pipes free of charge see below. Ain't Google wonderful!

|> Mains water in soft water areas has calcium carbonate added to reduce the |> tendency of lead to dissolve. I saw them adding it years ago>

| | | |No, that's not why it's added. It's about preventing furring of human |arteries, not water pipes.

I asked at the time, on a trip round a water works, and that is what they said.

Chalk has two effects as Lead pipes have been phased out the effect of not disolving lead has become less important, the absolute danger has not changed. to human health than furred arteries.

Remember that we no longer allow lead in domestic paints, and have changed to unleaded petrol. Not to mention the phasing out of lead water pipes. All because of the toxisity of lead.

>>There's virtually no lead present in our water sources or in the water we supply from our treatment works. However, many older properties have lead supply pipes, which connect our water main to your property, and also as part of the internal plumbing. Lead is also present in some types of solder used for joining copper pipes. The lead from these pipes and fittings can dissolve into the water and thus result in raised levels of lead in water from the tap. Installation of lead plumbing and use of lead solders have been prohibited by Water Fittings Regulations (formerly known as Water Byelaws) for many years How do we perform? Modification of the treatment process (known as plumbosolvency control) reduces the amount of lead dissolved from pipes. Since 1995 we've installed this treatment at almost all of our treatment works. As a result, compliance with the current 25 ?g/l standard has improved from 92% in 1995 to greater than 99% in 2004 and we're already very near to full compliance with the future standard of 10 ?g/l, with more than 98% of all samples taken at customers? taps complying with this strict standard. Further reduction in leaching of lead into the water is being achieved by additional optimisation of treatment processes.

Despite this great improvement in compliance, the removal of lead pipes and fittings is the best way of removing all risk of elevated levels of lead in your water. If you believe that you've lead pipes or that solder containing lead may have been used in your plumbing and you are concerned about the possible level of lead in water at your tap, you can contact us here or by phoning 0845 1 24 24 24 and requesting samples to be taken. We'll replace any lead pipes in our part of the supply from the water main to the stop tap at the boundary of your property free of charge, if we receive a written request from a customer who is prepared to remove their lead supply pipe, which runs from the boundary of the property to the point of entry into the building.

We advise that water that's been standing in lead pipes for long periods (for example, overnight) shouldn?t be used for drinking, cooking or preparing babies' feeds. About 1 gallon / 4.5 litres (or half a washing-up bowl) should be flushed from the kitchen cold tap before such use, or less if water has been drawn recently from other taps or by flushing the toilet etc. Rain water is by definition very soft, and will dissolve lead fast. | | | |No it won't, but in any case it doesn't get into contact with lead on the |roof or in pipes. Lead is a very reactive material and oxidises before your |eyes. That's why when you're doing lead plumbing you need to prevent the |oxidation to allow soldering, with tallow or some other flux.

Precicely. Lead oxide(s) are more dangerous than metalic lead, as anyone who watched Tony Robinson on "Worst Jobs" *this week* will know. see also.

's/leadoxide.pdf't google wonderful

[Guy King]

The message from The Natural Philosopher contains these words:

No, that'll be Eddie Grundy.

[Mary Fisher]

[Mary Fisher]

I can't be bothered replying to the rest of your misinformed post, the last bit about Worst Jobs discredits the rest.

I've worked for this programme but shall refuse if asked again, it's hype, it's not truth, it's not real, it's entertainment.

[Mary Fisher]

It hasn't!

Poor Eddie has another disappearance on his mind at the moment ...

Mary

[Chris Bacon]

Hm, does that confirm the effects of lead in the water...