Flushing tap water is a simple and inexpensive measure you can take to protect your family's health. To conserve water, fill a couple of bottles for drinking water after flushing the tap, and whenever possible use the first flush of water to wash the dishes or water the plants. If you live in a high-rise building, letting the water flow before using it may not work to lessen your risk from lead. The plumbing systems have more, and sometimes larger pipes than smaller buildings. Ask your landlord for help in locating the source of the lead and for advice on reducing the lead level.
Hot water can dissolve more lead more quickly than cold water.
If you need hot water, draw water from the cold tap and heat it on the stove. Remove loose lead solder and debris from the plumbing materials installed in newly constructed homes, or homes in which the plumbing has recently been replaced, by removing the faucet strainers from all taps and running the water from 3 to 5 minutes. Thereafter, periodically remove the strainers and flush out any debris that has accumulated over time. If your copper pipes are joined with lead solder that has been installed illegally since it was banned in 1987, notify the plumber who did the work and request that he or she replace the lead solder with lead-free solder. Lead solder looks dull gray, and when scratched with a key looks shiny.