Note 45 — Chapter XVIII · SILICON AND THE OTHER ELEMENTS OF THE FOURTH GROUP

Freshly laid new lead pipes contaminate the water with a certain amount of lead salts, arising from the presence of oxygen, carbonic acid, &c., in the water. But the lead pipes under the action of running water soon become coated with a film of salts—lead sulphate, carbonate, chloride, &c.—which are insoluble in water, and the water pipes then become harmless.