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What Is a Lead-Free Garden Hose?

R. Kayne
R. Kayne

It may come as a surprise to some to learn that most garden hoses leach lead and are unsafe for drinking. Warning labels accompany these hoses in many cases, but not all. A lead-free garden hose will clearly be marked as safe for drinking. These hoses are often sold as marine or recreational vehicle (RV) hoses.

While there can be minute amounts of lead found even in tap water, hoses made with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or brass fittings can leach unsafe levels of lead into the water. Lead is used in the manufacturing process of brass fittings to make the brass malleable in order to shape it, and is also used as a stabilizer in PVC. According to a May 2003 article from Consumer Reports, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) deemed safe levels of lead to be less than 15 parts per billion. Consumer Reports tested 16 of the most popular hoses sold nationwide, finding that many leached up to 100 times that amount at the initial flush of standing water.

There may be minute amounts of lead found in tap water.
There may be minute amounts of lead found in tap water.

Lead poisoning is a slow, accumulative process that builds quietly over time from regular exposure to small amounts of lead. Lead is found naturally in the earth’s crust, but was spread throughout the environment in the form of leaded gasoline, leaded paint and other products. Touching contaminated soil, breathing lead or overexposure in other ways can lead to a wide range of symptoms from irritability to high blood pressure and nerve disorder. In children lead poisoning has been linked to anemia, muscle problems and brain damage, including lower intelligent quotients.

Symptoms of lead poisoning may include irritability.
Symptoms of lead poisoning may include irritability.

One easy way to cut down on the amount of lead in your immediate environment is to get a lead-free garden hose. Not only will it drastically reduce the amount of lead being deposited in your yard, it will also virtually eliminate direct exposure when watering by hand or tending to the garden. This type of hose is also safe for children to get a much-needed drink or play in the sprinklers, and pets will also be spared of potential lead poisoning from water bowls filled from the hose.

A lead-free garden hose will produce water that's safe to drink.
A lead-free garden hose will produce water that's safe to drink.

A lead-free garden hose is typically made from medical-grade vinyl with nickel-plated fittings. The hoses are often white with a thin blue stripe, and are commonly sold in marine and recreational vehicle (RV) stores. An RV hose can also come in a beige color with a blue stripe, to match the beige paint of many RVs. Although sold for RV and marine use, these hoses serve as great lead-free garden hoses.

In children, lead poisoning has been linked to brain damage and lower IQ.
In children, lead poisoning has been linked to brain damage and lower IQ.

Even though a lead-free garden hose is safe for drinking, it is always best to flush a hose of standing water before drinking or filling the pet’s water bowl. Some garden hoses are lead-free, kink-free, and bacteria, mold and mildew resistant. Best of all, this type of garden hose is inexpensive, and top brands come with a lifetime manufacturer’s guarantee.

A few leading brands of lead-free garden hoses, marked safe for drinking are: Teknor Neverkink RV and Marine Hose - Non Toxic, Swan Marine/Camper, and Better Homes and Gardens Kink-free hoses. Note that all three manufacturers might make other hoses that are not lead-free, so read packaging to be sure you have the right hose. If a hose is not marked either way, look further, and be sure to buy the right diameter and length for your needs. Even though we can't eliminate all contaminates from the environment, switching to a lead-free garden hose is a smart choice for the health conscious consumer.

Discussion Comments

anon253159

Don't forget about the chemicals in your water such as Chlorine. We purchased the Clean Water Fun garden hose filter to make sure our children, pets, and plants had clean water.

anon97078

Again, I would like to read the seven major studies. What institutes or universities ran the studies. are the results available online? Can you provide a link or more information about how the California study was run and if that is available online. Who performed the California study?

Just looking for the facts behind your assertion there is no problem here. The person who first told me about these problems I know and trust but am open that more information would be helpful to flesh out the truth.

anon96441

Even if brass doesn't release large amounts, lead builds up in the body. Why risk it at all?

baseball23

Too bad anon61529 offers no links or other sources for us to verify their claims that lead is not leached under any circumstances from garden hoses. Where are these studies and who did them? Are the results available online? Where can I read about the seven major studies refuting this? I really would like to know.

anon61529

Just for the general public's information. Although both California and Vermont have passed "No lead" laws for brass, currently there has not been one significant study that shows that lead leeches from brass in any amount.

The studies that California used are flawed, not taking account other sources of lead contamination. The are, on the other hand, at least seven major studies that show that brass does not leach a significant amount of lead even over long periods of time in caustic environments.

There is much emotionalism over the subject, and it costing us the consumers hundreds of millions of dollars this year alone to comply with those laws.

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    • There may be minute amounts of lead found in tap water.
      By: moonrise
      There may be minute amounts of lead found in tap water.
    • Symptoms of lead poisoning may include irritability.
      By: Alliance
      Symptoms of lead poisoning may include irritability.
    • A lead-free garden hose will produce water that's safe to drink.
      By: Edyta Pawlowska
      A lead-free garden hose will produce water that's safe to drink.
    • In children, lead poisoning has been linked to brain damage and lower IQ.
      By: elisabetta figus
      In children, lead poisoning has been linked to brain damage and lower IQ.