States like California are oulawing the use of brass in water wells?

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Behrens88

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This is just a general question but something I may be concerned about in the future. As far as I know they are not banning brass in wells here in MI. Why is brass a bad thing in water well components and plumbing? I thought brass was good or is there something I'm missing?
 

JohnjH2o1

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There banning it because of the lead content in the brass. More laws to protect use from our self. But we continue to allow the Chinese to import products with much higher amounts of lead in them.

John
 

LLigetfa

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There banning it because of the lead content in the brass. More laws to protect use from our self. But we continue to allow the Chinese to import products with much higher amounts of lead in them.

John
It is probably the Chinese brass that they are targeting.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brass#Lead_content
Lead contentTo enhance the machinability of brass, lead is often added in concentrations of around 2%. Since lead has a lower melting point than the other constituents of the brass, it tends to migrate towards the grain boundaries in the form of globules as it cools from casting. The pattern the globules form on the surface of the brass increases the available lead surface area which in turn affects the degree of leaching. In addition, cutting operations can smear the lead globules over the surface. These effects can lead to significant lead leaching from brasses of comparatively low lead content.[7]

Silicon is an alternative to lead; however, when silicon is used in a brass alloy, the scrap must never be mixed with leaded brass scrap because of contamination and safety problems.[8]

In October 1999 the California State Attorney General sued 13 key manufacturers and distributors over lead content. In laboratory tests, state researchers found the average brass key, new or old, exceeded the California Proposition 65 limits by an average factor of 19, assuming handling twice a day.[9] In April 2001 manufacturers agreed to reduce lead content to 1.5%, or face a requirement to warn consumers about lead content. Keys plated with other metals are not affected by the settlement, and may continue to use brass alloys with higher percentage of lead content.[10][11]

Also in California, lead-free materials must be used for "each component that comes into contact with the wetted surface of pipes and pipe fittings, plumbing fittings and fixtures." On January 1, 2010, the maximum amount of lead in "lead-free brass" in California was reduced from 4% to 0.25% lead. The common practice of using pipes for electrical grounding is discouraged, as it accelerates lead corrosion.[12][13]
 

Behrens88

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I did not know they use lead in the brass making process. I had a feeling it had to do with lead. Thanks for the answers. So governments are worried about a small amount of lead in brass but it is ok to dump truck loads of poisonous sodium fluoride in city water systems and put harmful BPA (synthetic estrogen) in plastic food containers? wow!
 
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Tom Sawyer

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Yes that's it exactly. It all depends on who's pockets are being lined and by whom.
 

DonL

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At least we can make Bullets out of the Old Battery Lead.


Back to Lead Balls and Powder...
 

LLigetfa

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At least we can make Bullets out of the Old Battery Lead.


Back to Lead Balls and Powder...
Prolly not for long... lots of concern for lead bird shot sitting on the bottom of lakes. There are specialty lead reclaimers going around to shooting ranges to clean them up.
 

DonL

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Prolly not for long... lots of concern for lead bird shot sitting on the bottom of lakes. There are specialty lead reclaimers going around to shooting ranges to clean them up.


That won't mater none when it is each for his own...


P.S. Just more thieves to shoot at steeling your lead.
 
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Masterpumpman

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Everyone's right! That's why many companies are manufacturing Stainless Steel products as an option, usually at a larger cost.
FYI: 90 year old people in New York City have had 1" lead lines feeding their homes from city water for 100 plus years and no one has died from lead pipes. It's just politicians saving us from ourselves while making more money.
 

Valveman

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Removing lead from plumbing will be a Federal law starting in 2014. Lead does not leach out of plumbing unless you have acidic water, and then it is the water quality that is the problem, not the lead in the plumbing. In their infinite wisdom, the EPA decided that if kids eating lead paint off of Chinese toys is harmful, then all lead must be harmful. So they are trying to make themselves seem useful by banning all lead.

All these new regulations do is increase your taxes to pay the EPA more, decrease the quality of the products you can buy, (lead is an important part of quality in materials), and greatly increase the cost of all plumbing products.

An even newer directive from the ****** in cheif is for the EPA to regulate "sustainability". This will give the EPA even more powers to abuse us with. We ain't seen nothing yet. Most of the bad stuff has been scheduled not to come into effect until Obamma is either re-elected or out of office. (too late to do anything about it)
 

Tom Sawyer

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Normally I bitch about this kind of crap but since I sell and install stuff I don't see anything but a little more profit on my end.
 

Valveman

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Your cost of goods will increase so much that you will have to live with less profit to get the job. Nobody but the manufacturers and the government make money with excessive regulations.
 

LLigetfa

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Normally I bitch about this kind of crap but since I sell and install stuff I don't see anything but a little more profit on my end.
Maybe, but HD will continue to sell brass fittings and DIYers will find you too costly and either DIY or find someone that doesn't care about regulations.

DIYers are still buying tub fillers without pressure balance and someone is still plumbing them in.
 

Tom Sawyer

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Yes they will and therein lies the conundrum. Hell, HD and Lowes are selling flexible CSST gas piping to home owners. They don't give a crap as long as there's money to be made.
 

Ballvalve

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We have gone mad as a nation with these laws to 'protect' us. There is absolutely NO inspection of chinese or asian brass fittings filled containers coming off the boats by the hundreds. And the issue is not only lead, but the specs that cause leaks and millions of dollars and man hours of lost time fixing this garbage. But the fed are busy stopping the few guys that really want to WORK from jumping the border at a cost of billions, and pulling up pot plants with helicopters at 800$ an hour. Plus the clowns on the ground at 80$an hour with benefits. They should be at the port opening containers destined for home-sabotage stores and the dollar stores.

All then they could legalize pot and tax it and make a fortune on it. Including cocaine, Which was legal, including opium and heroin up until about 1906. No one much abuses legal drugs, takes the fun out of it. And would do it either way in any case.
 
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Tom Sawyer

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As bad as the economy is and as corrupt as the government is one would think it would be in their best interest to legalize all drugs to take everyone's mind off things for awhile :cool:
 

Valveman

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As bad as the economy is and as corrupt as the government is one would think it would be in their best interest to legalize all drugs to take everyone's mind off things for awhile :cool:

Are you kidding!! They would have to lay off about 75% of the police force, law officials, and completely do away with DEA, Border Patrol, and many other agencies. In a time when government jobs are the only game in town, that would be terrible. Also people who have a drug problem would be able to ask for help without getting arrested! That would even more overwhelm our new health care system. Plus we would have to let out about 80% of the people in jail, and there aren’t enough jobs for the rest of us already. No, we need to keep incarcerating as many people as possible for as many stupid reasons as possible. (except me!) Think Jobs!
 
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