Table Of Contents
TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read)
If the Table of Contents has already caused anxiety, talk to our team of experienced plumbing professionals now. With over 20 years of experience Tropical Coast Plumbing provide the best plumbing service and expert advice in QLD. Plumber in Mackay, Rockhampton, Yeppoon and Townsville.
Drinking Water Distribution Systems
There has been much debate recently about the safety of galvanised pipes for drinking water. Some believe that the zinc used in galvanising pipes can leach into the water, causing health problems. Others argue that galvanised pipes are perfectly safe for drinking water. In this blog post, we'll examine the evidence for and against the use of galvanised pipes for drinking water.
The Benefits Of Galvanised Water Pipes
The use of galvanised pipes for indoor and outdoor plumbing has increased in recent years. Also, galvanised pipes played a significant role in the industrial revolution. Here are some of the advantages of utilising galvanised pipes.
- Galvanised pipes are cheaper than other popular pipe protection methods, and galvanising pipes require less labour than other methods.
- Galvanised pipes are anti-rust. The iron used in making the steel is responsible for corrosion with oxygen. However, corrosion is unlikely to occur with zinc coating, preventing rust.
- They're easy to inspect in case of flaws.
- Galvanised pipes have a large diameter, carrying more water in one go.
Are Galvanised Pipes Safe For Drinking Water?
One of the most commonly used pipes for plumbing is galvanised pipes. These have been used to replace old steel pipes. The zinc coating gives the steel pipe more strength and protects it from corrosion. However, galvanised pipes start corroding when used for an extended period without replacement.
This is due to the constant exposure to environmental effects that decrease the quality of the pipes. Additionally, the corrosion renders the water from your taps and even from your water heater unsafe for drinking due to contamination. Some leading causes of water contamination in galvanised pipes are lead, iron, zinc, cadmium, and copper. All this makes the water not so safe for drinking.
Issues Associated With Galvanised Pipes
While galvanised pipes are great for plumbing, their use comes with significant health risks. Here are some of the disadvantages of utilising galvanised pipes for plumbing.
Rust build-up
Galvanised pipes are prone to rust and corrosion over time. It's important to note that galvanisation does not stop rusting; instead, it creates an additional layer on the pipe exposed to rust. The zinc coating wears out over time, and eventually, corrosion starts. Due to this, water flowing out of the pipes will turn rusty brown.
Leaks and low pressure
Galvanised pipes can lead to low water pressure or pipe bursts or leaks. In most cases, water pipe leaks occur around the joints. If not noticed for an extended period, accumulation of moisture and water can cause structural damage or toxic mould growth. Also, repairs can be expensive.
Health risks
The zinc layer used for coating contains impurities such as lead, cadmium, and other heavy metals. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, galvanised pipes have as much as 10% lead, which is deemed dangerous. As a result, drinking water from galvanised pipes poses potential health risks that you can avoid. As much as possible, you should not drink water from galvanised water pipes.
Internal corrosion
To galvanise a steel pipe, a manufacturer has to use zinc to protect the steel from corrosion. However, with time, the coating begins to peel off due to constant exposure to water. When the zinc coating peels off, galvanised pipes corrode from the inside, leading to pipe leaks or ruptures.
Water pollution
Galvanised pipes are associated with water pollution. During corrosion, a galvanised pipe creates lead, which is a toxic chemical. The corrosive material and lead can seep into your water, causing severe health concerns.
Contaminants In Galvanised Pipes
It's important to note that corrosion accelerates leeching in galvanised pipes. Unfortunately, there are limited ways to avoid corrosion of galvanised pipes. However, you can determine the amount of lead present in water flowing from your faucet. Lead is one of the leading causes of waterborne diseases. This means you should take proper actions to prevent water contamination in galvanised pipes.
Other contaminants include iron, zinc, copper, and cadmium. You can quickly identify the presence of iron and copper from the flavour and colour of the water flowing from your galvanised pipe.
Zinc contamination is a result of the coating used in galvanised water pipes. As a result, zinc will quickly get into the flowing water. Hence, checking the water flowing out of your pipes is essential. Lead, cadmium, and zinc are the most significant form of water pollution.
Consider getting a plumber to inspect the plumbing at the source or at your home. This will help to identify the origin of the lead. Then, you can consider replacing the source of contamination. All this should be taken care of professionally to reduce the health risks.
Health Hazards Of Old Galvanised Water Pipes
Lead can be attributed to several diseases. For instance, flu-like symptoms, muscle weakness, and digestive issues can result from consuming lead-contaminated water for an extended period. Children are at the most significant risk of lead-related diseases. Here are some of the effects of consuming lead-contaminated water by children.
- Motor impairment, hearing disorders, and lack of coordination.
- Slow physical and mental development.
- Brain and nervous system activities can be affected.
- Attention deficit disorder impacts behaviour and learning development.
Another group of individuals at a higher risk of lead poisoning is pregnant women. Consuming lead-contaminated water poses a threat to the mother and her unborn child. In addition, when exposed to toxic levels, the fetus can develop cognitive impairment and learning difficulties.
Other adults can also be at risk of health-related risks and lead contamination. Here are some diseases associated with long-term exposure to high lead levels.
- Bone disorders
- Kidney problems
- Digestive problems
- Neurological consequences
- Disruptive reproductive system affecting pregnancy
- Pain and aching in the muscles
- Problems with coordination and learning
- Growth issues for physical and mental health
If you notice any signs of lead poisoning, you should consider taking appropriate steps to avert the situation. You can start by changing your source of water. Next, you should get a plumber to audit quality control to identify the cause of the contamination. After that, you can resolve your piping issues.
Are Old Galvanised Pipes Affecting Your Health?
Continued use of water from galvanised pipes exposes you to contamination, which can affect your health drastically. The easiest way to know if you're exposed to contaminated water is by checking the colour of water flowing from your faucets. If it's discoloured water (rusty brown), then it's contaminated. You can also visit the hospital for further tests to check if you have been affected by contaminated water.
How To Check If You Have Old Galvanised Pipes
There are several ways to check if you have galvanised pipes in your home. If you've moved into a new residence, you might not have all the papers. Also, reviewing the documents to find out if you have galvanised pipes at your home can be hectic.
Here are some simple ways to check for galvanised pipes in your house.
- Find an exposed area of the pipe and scratch it using a screwdriver to see its colour. If it resembles a penny, it's probably a copper pipe.
- You can use a magnet on the exposed part. If it attracts, then it's most likely a galvanised iron or steel pipe. Otherwise, it's copper or PVC pipes.
- Inspect the pressure of water flowing from your faucets. If it varies, chances are you have galvanised pipes in your drinking water distribution systems.
- Check the colour of the water from your faucets. Rusty galvanised pipes will have brown water.
Life Expectancy Of Galvanised Pipes
While galvanising iron and steel pipes is supposed to prolong their lifetime, they can't last forever. The average lifetime of galvanised steel pipes is 25-40 years. However, this is highly dependent on the environmental conditions.
Under severe, harsh conditions, they can last less than 25 years, while under favourable conditions, they can last up to 80 years. While the pipes might appear to be in good shape externally, the pipe may be rusting on the inside. This could reduce the longevity of the pipes.
Making Water In Galvanised Pipes Drinkable
As already seen, water flowing from galvanised pipes can lead to serious health issues. However, if you don't want to incur high medical costs due to the contaminants, here are some ideas to make the water safe to drink.
- Filtering: The easiest method to ensure your water is safer and drinkable is to filter it. Using a suitable filter, you'll be able to remove the contaminants.
- Relining: This is a cheaper alternative to replacing your galvanised pipes. It's ideal if you have leaky pipes and are in a hurry to have them repaired. By relining, you'll also address the issue of corrosion and rust.
- Repiping: If water filters don't provide drinkable water, you can consider repiping. You'll have to replace all galvanised pipes with other types such as PVC or copper pipes.
Cleaning Your Galvanised Pipes
You can consider cleaning if you don't want to replace your old galvanised pipes. One of the most suitable cleaning agents to use is white vinegar. With a piece of steel wool and vinegar, you'll be able to get rid of specs of rust. However, if the rust is too much, your best long-term solution will likely be replacing your plumbing network with more durable modern piping.
Replacing Old Galvanised Pipes
The answer to whether to replace old galvanised pipes or not is simply yes. Replacing your old galvanised steel pipes with copper or PVC plastic pipes can be costly; however, you'll save cash in the long run, especially when you require emergency plumbing.
Failure to replace galvanised pipes means you'll incur high repair costs when they break down. Also, you'll be forced to look for safe drinking water to avoid health risks. So, you must contact a licensed plumber to check and replace them. This will drastically reduce your risk of costly pipe bursts, slab leaks, and water damage.
Need an Experienced Plumber?
Tropical Coast Plumbing's team of experienced plumbers are here to offer you the best in residential and commercial plumbing solutions. Whether it be gas plumbing, emergency plumbing, blocked toilets, hot water installation or general plumbing, our plumbers know how to get the job done right.
Choose Tropical Coast Plumbing for the best:
