POU devices in large buildings: Lead removal and water quality

Abstract

The performance of point‐of‐use (POU) devices to remove dissolved and particulate lead (Pb) and their effect on tap water quality were investigated in a large building under typical usage patterns and during one year. Both forms of Pb were efficiently removed, although materials downstream of the POU devices slightly increased total Pb levels at the tap. No evidence of POU breakthrough was observed following stagnations carried out before sampling. Although measurements of heterotrophic place counts and total and live bacteria on the POU material itself indicated no significant colonization, small but significant increases in viable bacteria at the tap suggest that colonization occurred in the piping and tap downstream of the POU devices in the absence of chlorine residual. This study suggests that these devices are a useful remediation approach to control Pb in large buildings, providing that building maintenance procedures are issued for POU devices.