Friday, February 01, 2008

Getting Into Hot Water

Life's little shortcuts can be costly. If, like me, you speed up the boiling of water to cook pasta by drawing it from the hot tap, you may be damaging your brain.

According to the New York Times Health blog, "hot water dissolves contaminants more quickly than cold water, and many pipes in homes contain lead that can leach into water. And lead can damage the brain and nervous system, especially in young children."

Although older homes are more likely to have lead pipes and fixtures, even newer plumbing advertised as “lead-free” can still contain as much as 8 percent lead, according to the EPA.

The risks may be small, but it makes sense to boil cold water for that instant coffee in the morning to be sure and get the lead out.

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