The pipes that carry your tap water come in a variety of materials–from lead to copper to plastic. With lead piping now illegal and copper piping very expensive, that brings us to one of the most popular plumbing materials today: plastic.

To put it bluntly–U.S. drinking water infrastructure is in poor form.

Much of the current drinking water infrastructure in the United States is deteriorating and (over)due for an upgrade. In the next decade, it is estimated that the U.S. government will need to spend an estimated $300 billion on municipal water infrastructure. The question at hand is: what will that new infrastructure consist of?

There is an ongoing debate as to what material should be used for new pipes, mains, and fixtures. With such large-scale projects nationwide, it is imperative that we question the safety, sustainability, and durability of the pipes under review for use in new projects.

Some of the pipes still in use today are up to 150 years old and their deterioration contributes to health risks and resultantly poise their own potential health consequences. Substantial scientific evidence indicates that over an extended period of time, old pipe materials like lead and iron, are associated with serious health impacts including lead poisoning, Legionnaire's Disease, cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

Many of these metals have been phased-out as a supply for new water infrastructure due to cost and serious associated and unforeseen human health impacts.

Today, plastic pipes are widely replacing metal ones. While no long-term data exist on exposure to plastic in drinking water, the studies we do have on plastic exposures through drinking water suggest there are indeed potential adverse health impacts.

In this article, we’re going to walk you through the history of pipes and how the plastic revolution may solve some problems, while at the same time, create new ones.

During World War II, the expansion of plastic production was argued by industry and politicians as a necessity. This was likely compounded by the fact that plastic is a petroleum byproduct and fossil fuel interests have long influenced U.S. government. Many of the natural resources and metals were needed for war efforts. Plastic became an increasingly popular building product and the material of choice for a majority of U.S. water supply pipes. Since the 1950’s, a variety of different plastic pipes have been created and used.

The most popular and widely used plastic pipes for water are:

While plastic piping is certainly cheaper than many alternatives on the market, not enough is known about their potential health hazards to confidently argue that plastic should be the material-of-choice as the U.S. upgrades it’s drinking water infrastructure.

An increasing number of studies suggest that some plastic pipes leach harmful chemicals, as well as accumulate heavy metals such as lead. Additionally, certain contaminants from polymeric pipes may contaminate the water. This may occur by diffusion of chemical components from the pipe itself or by decomposition of chemicals used during the pipe production.

For an overview of potential health risks associated with various plastic pipes, read on:

Because water treatment (like chlorine and chloramines) and pipe-brand impact the final tap water quality, we can’t make a blanket statement about the health impacts of plastic pipes. That said, research continues to emerge.

Researchers have found 158 compounds in drinking water associated with plastic pipes, and a recent study on PEX discovered highly variable impacts on tap water quality, taste, and smell. Testing your water for plastic chemicals that may be leaching into your water is the best way you can protect yourself.