A Survey of Lead Concentration in Tap Water on National Taiwan University Campus

Lead pipe has been banned for its use in water supply by most countries in the 1980s. In Taiwan, lead pipe was banned in 1979. Recent surveys conducted in different countries revealed that lead contamination in tap water could be a widespread problem and aroused public concerns on this issue. Due to the enormous cost and difficulties in complete replacement, historically installed lead pipes are still in service in many countries, including Taiwan. Moreover, the so-called “lead free” plumbing materials can still contain lead according to current definition (Kempic, 2012). In this study, a sampling campaign was conducted for 29 buildings on the National Taiwan University campus between 2015/07/25 and 2016/05/01. Total lead, soluble lead and various water quality parameters were measured in order to understand the extent of lead contamination in these buildings and to determine the relationship between each water parameter and lead concentration. Lead profiles determined using different sampling methods were compared and particulates collected from the faucet aerators were characterized to provide a comprehensive understanding of the contamination.