New Building? Here's Why You Should Test Your Water for Lead and Copper First
27, Oct 2026
In newly constructed buildings, solder used to join copper pipes can leach lead into the first several litres of water after periods of stagnation. Flushing taps and using RO filtration protects against this risk.
In Kenya, copper and CPVC piping are common in residential and commercial construction. While copper piping itself is relatively inert, the traditional solder used to join copper pipes historically contained lead at concentrations of 40% to 50%. Although lead-free solders (containing tin and silver) are now specified in new construction, compliance is not universal, and buildings constructed before 2010 are particularly likely to contain leaded solder joints.
Additionally, brass fittings, taps, valves and connectors, can contain up to 8% lead by mass under older KEBS standards. Newer NSF/ANSI 61-compliant fittings are restricted to 0.25% lead.
Plumber installing copper pipes.
Lead does not dissolve continuously from pipe joints into flowing water. The problem is stagnation. When water sits in contact with leaded solder or brass fittings overnight, the slightly acidic water dissolves trace amounts of lead from the metal surface. The longer the stagnation period, the higher the lead concentration in the first litres drawn from the tap.
The WHO states that there is no safe level of lead exposure. At low chronic exposure levels, lead accumulates in bone, kidney and brain tissue. Children under five and pregnant women are most vulnerable, even low blood lead levels impair cognitive development and reduce IQ. Lead exposure has no visible symptoms at the levels typical in drinking water.
Occupational health guidance recommends flushing the cold tap for 30–60 seconds before drawing water for drinking or cooking in buildings with suspected leaded plumbing. This clears the standing water in the immediate pipe run. However:
RO membranes reject dissolved lead at rates of 95–99%. A point-of-use RO system fitted to the kitchen tap provides reliable, automatic protection without requiring occupant behaviour change. Testing your water annually for lead and copper in a new building is also recommended to establish a baseline and monitor for changes.
Q: Does copper in my water indicate a health problem?
A: Copper at low levels (below 2 mg/L WHO guideline) has no adverse health effects and is actually an essential trace mineral. At higher levels, acute copper toxicity causes gastrointestinal distress. Newly installed copper pipes can contribute elevated copper in the first few months of use, which typically normalises.
Protect your family from lead in plumbing
iClear's RO systems remove up to 99% of dissolved lead from your drinking water. Find out more.
Keywords: lead in water new building Kenya, copper pipes drinking water, lead solder plumbing water safety, RO removes lead
Water Purification & Treatment Specialists
David Ochieng, a water purification specialist at iClear Wellife Services Ltd, has extensive experience delivering safe and reliable water treatment solutions for homes and offices across Kenya.
