Lead (Pb) particles that detach from the plumbing and contaminate drinking water can pose a significant health threat, which is often underestimated. Laboratory simulation of this problem revealed that standard quantification protocols in the US may miss 80% of the lead present in the water. At the same time, a significant fraction of this undetected particulate lead may be bioavailable when ingested. A critical review of the Washington DC lead-in-water crisis suggested that lead in water might

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... constitute a greater public health risk than generally acknowledged, in at least some circumstances. It also revealed deficiencies in the public health response as well as in alerting the public to elevated levels of lead, and the subject continues to be mired in controversy. Our independent testing at six Washington DC public schools in 2008 showed that problems with elevated lead still persist at 2-41% of taps sampled at each school, even after remedial measures were implemented.