Lead testing in Edinburgh and the Lothians
As a result of government revisions to the Repairing Standard legislation in Scotland, landlords must guarantee that the water supply in their private rented properties is free of lead from the 1st of March 2024.
Scottish Water suggests that if the property was built before 1970, there is a possibility that it could have had lead pipes. Lead was the primary metal for mains water supplies, domestic water pipes and storage tank linings until 1969, when it was made illegal. Following this the government introduced iron, plastic or copper for linings.
Based on the guidance, water should be tested at all pipes where water may be consumed between the boundary stopcock and the kitchen tap. For most properties the only outlet which would need to be tested for lead is the kitchen tap. Other channels at baths, basins and utility rooms would only need to be tested if they are located between the boundary stopcock and the kitchen tap.
If the lead content is at or above 10 micrograms per litre it indicates that some lead exists in the pipework. The landlord must inform the tenants immediately. As provisional safeguarding tenants may be advised not to drink water that has been standing in pipes for long periods – for instance overnight or if no-one has been in for several hours. It is also highly recommended to use a washing-up bowl of water to clear the water which has been standing in the pipes before using it for drinking or cooking.
It is the landlords’ responsibility to find and remove any lead pipes in the parts of pipework that is beyond the responsibility of Scottish Water. Landlord must also inform the tenants and must arrange for water samples to be taken for laboratory analysis. An accurate test must be carried out to determine whether the water is lead free. The water should then be re-sampled to guarantee that the lead content is below 10 micrograms per litre.
If a landlord is aware of any potential lead water pipes in their property, they should contact their property manager as soon as possible.
For most properties, an approved plumber will be able to determine whether the visible pipes are made from lead.
DLP Property Ltd. provides independent high-standard water quality testing at the cost of £100 +VAT per property. We will take the required sample and carry out testing to the required standards.
