Study finds chemicals in garden hoses

CLEVELAND - A new study found dangerous chemicals in 100 percent of garden hoses tested, indicating that hose water might not be safe for kids to drink.

As the temperatures heat up across the Midwest, many kids will be turning to lawn sprinklers and hoses to keep cool. But the study found the water that comes from the hose contained four phthalate plasticizers that are banned in all children's products. The sitting water studied also contained bisphenal A, or BPA, and lead.

Over time, these chemicals can cause health complications such as impaired learning, liver problems and cancer.

Study test results showed BPA levels from garden hoses were 20 times higher than what's considered safe in drinking water. The BPA got into the water by channeling through the hose.

The study found 33 percent of water hoses tested had lead in excess of what the federal government considers safe in drinking water. The lead got into the water from the brass rings on the hoses.

The authors of the study, said the Safe Drinking Water Act limits lead in brass in residential water fixtures but not in garden hoses. The authors suggested not drinking from garden hoses, flushing out the sitting water and keeping hoses in the shade (heat can increase leaching chemicals into the water), and buying a lead-free, PVC-free hose.

Experts said it's probably safe to water your vegetables with water from a garden hose, but some people may want to test their soil. 



Scripps station KNXV did a similar consumer investigation on garden hoses in 2007. Reporters bought hoses from random home improvement stores, filled the hoses with water, sealed the ends, and let them sit for a day.

Then they took the hoses to a lab. Half of the hoses were found to have levels of lead higher than what the Environmental Protection Agency allows for drinking water. Four of those came back with extremely high lead levels.