CNW on mon 9 aug 99
Ray--Let me toss out some guesses about copper pipes. In areas such as mine
(North Carolina) plastic piping has become the standard in new housing and
remodeling. I'm sure part of this is it is cheaper and easier to install.
But here it is also because the water pH is guilty of leaching copper into
the water especially after it has been sitting in the pipes overnight. The
pipes 'pinhole' a lot not one at a time but bunches. (This also seems to
happen with galvanized stock tanks for animals.) If you have a leak in your
faucet and it drips you will have blue-green stains on your sink or tub.
(sometimes even with plastic pipes and a brass faucet). I have plastic
piping but if I forget to run the water for a little while in the morning I
can taste the copper. I don't recall ever having this problem growing up in
St. Louis, MO. (although the water there had its own disgusting problems) To
outlaw copper pipes is more trouble than it is worth considering that it is
evolving that way on its own.
Besides they are just now starting to crack down and help people up in the
mountains (and other areas) that have indoor plumbing but no septic or sewer
system.( Known as straight piping----dumping it into a convenient creek.)
Not everyone lives in a city and most have wells and septic systems, rather
than city water that is 'cleaned up' and pH adjusted.
You do what you can and take the worst problems first ;^)
Celia in NC
cwike@conninc.com
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