If you're in the market for a new garden hose this year, look for one labeled safe for drinking. That's a sign it contains a relatively small amount of lead that can leach from the plastic hose into the water.
Lead is used as a stabilizer in the polyvinyl chloride plastic used to make hoses. Lead is also toxic, and can cause severe anemia, brain damage, and other irreversible harm.
The amount of lead in garden hoses varies widely, according to recent tests by engineers at Consumer Reports magazine. But hoses labeled safe for drinking contain by far the least. As a result, the water absorbs essentially no lead if it's left to sit in the hose for a day. Otherwise, the amount of lead in that standing water could rise to levels far above those that health authorities consider dangerous.
But unless you have a garden hose labeled safe for drinking, don't let anyone--especially children--drink from it. They could be getting a big gulp of lead.
In the U.S. Consumer Reports, July 2003 edition, page 7 listed:
| SAFE FOR DRINKING as labeled |
| Gardener's Supply Co. 33-469 |
| Teknor Apex Boat and Camper Self-straightening |
| Swan Marine/Camper |
| Better Homes and Gardens Kink-free |
| NOT FOR DRINKING as labeled |
| Colorite Plastics Mainstays Light Duty |
| Colorite WaterWorks Light Duty |
| Gilmour Flexogen 7169657 |
| Swan Fairlawn Reinforced |
| Gilmour Flexogen 10-5805GY |
| Swan Heavy Duty Soft & Supple |
| NOT FOR DRINKING WATER not labeled |
| Teknor Apex Light Duty |
| Teknor Apex Mainstays Medium Duty |
| Companion 7169022 |
| Craftsman 7169612 |
| Teknor Apex Heavy Duty |
| Craftsman 7169212 |
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