Every summer we fill up the water tables and kiddie pools, turn on the toy sprinkler and let the kids have some water fun out in the backyard, while my husband and I tend to our organic garden. What we didn’t know, until recently, was that we were exposing both our children and our soil to harmful metals and chemicals.
In 2012, HealthyStuff.org* conducted studies on almost 200 hoses, gloves, kneeling pads and tools. Researchers tested for “lead, cadmium, bromine (associated with brominated flame retardants); chlorine (indicating the presence of polyvinyl chloride, or PVC); phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA). Such chemicals have been linked to birth defects, impaired learning, liver toxicity, premature births and early puberty in laboratory animals, among other serious health problems.”
FINDINGS on the Garden Hoses, as stated by HealthStuff.org:
- 100% of the garden hoses sampled for phthalates contained four phthalate plasticizers which are currently banned in children’s products.
- Two water hoses contained the flame retardant 2,3,4,5-tetrabromo-bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (TBPH).
What Was Found in the Water from the Hoses:
- Water sampled from one hose contained 0.280 mg/l (ppm) lead. This is 18-times higher than the federal drinking water standard of 0.015 mg/l.
- BPA levels of 2.3 ppm was found in the hose water. This level is 20-times higher than the 0.100 ppm safe drinking water level used by NSF to verify that consumers are not being exposed to levels of a chemical that exceed regulated levels.
- The phthalate DEHP was found at 0.025 ppm in the hose water. This level is 4-times higher than federal drinking water standards. EPA and FDA regulate DEHP in water at 0.006 mg/l (ppm).
You can click here to view all findings: HealthyStuff.org
What to do to Avoid these Chemicals (As shared by HealthyStuff.org):
- Read the labels: Avoid hoses with a California Prop 65 warning that says “this product contains a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects and other reproductive harm.” Buy hoses that are “drinking water safe” and “lead-free.”
- Let it run: Always let your hose run for a few seconds before using, since the water that’s been sitting in the hose will have the highest levels of chemicals.
- Avoid the sun: Store your hose in the shade. The heat from the sun can increase the leaching of chemicals from the PVC into the water.
- Don’t drink water from a hose: Unless you know for sure that your hose is drinking water safe, don’t drink from it. Even low levels of lead may cause health problems.
- Buy a PVC-free hose: Polyurethane or natural rubber hoses are better choices.
LINKS TO SAFER GARDEN HOSES
Colorite Element Lead Free, Kink Free Hose
Apex Healthy Habit Eco-Smart and Family Safe Garden Hose
Swan Premium Rubber Hose ***** This is the safest one I have found, according to the HealthyStuff ratings, it contains NO metals or chemicals. Findings Here.
* This list has been updated since first posting it, as further tests found lead in even options that call themselves “lead safe.”
**”HealthyStuff.org is based on research conducted by environmental health organizations and other researchers around the country. The Ecology Center created HealthyStuff.org and leads its research and development. The Ecology Center is a Michigan-based nonprofit environmental organization that works at the local, state, and national levels for clean production, healthy communities, environmental justice, and a sustainable future.”
Works Cited
“Chemicals in Hoses Leach Water, Study Finds.” HealthStuff.org. May 2012. Web. April 26, 2012.
“Don’t Drink the Water: Study Warns Drinking From Garden Hose.” CBS News. June, 2012.
*Amazon links are affiliate related. As I spend a lot of time providing safe options, I appreciate your support of the upkeep of this site by purchasing through the links.
RaisingNaturalKids 
Here’s a made in the USA filter option: The Clean Water Fun garden hose filter has been specially designed to fit any standard garden hose thread. It has been third party tested to remove Chlorine, Chloramines, VOCs, and Pesticides/Herbicides commonly found in home water supplies. The Clean Water Fun garden hose filter can be used for any of your outdoor water needs where cleaner water is desired such as children’s outdoor water play, pet care, and organic gardening. http://www.cleanwaterfun.com/Garden_Hose_Filter.html
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There is a serious potential health risk from leaving a garden hose connected with the tap on and a nozzle on the end closed off. Garden hoses are often left one end open and some water inside so that bacteria etc. can coat the inside of the hose. When this is left connected into the house water supply from an open tap with a closed nozzle, the house water can become contaminated. Always turn the tap off and drain the line by opening the nozzle to release the pressure.
The Green & Grow water house you are recommending in this article has high lead levels and other heavy metals according to this link: http://www.healthystuff.org/product.details.php?bcmode=search&getrecno=26656
Thanks for the heads up – I took it off and am checking the others – this post originated a year or two ago now, so things could have changed!
Thank you for looking into this. It is concerning to think that even the hoses that are advertised to be lead free and safe to drink from have high lead levels. Here is another one… the Water Right Coil Garden Hose you also recommend in this article, have high lead levels according to this link: http://www.healthystuff.org/product.details.php?bcmode=search&getrecno=26930
Looking forward to your feedback. Thank you!
Making Healthier, Safer Garden Hoses a Reality
“We decided to focus on function and happy customers, not cost.” — Jeff Thomas (Co-Founder of family-run Water Right Inc.)
Jeff and Katrina Thomas are making garden hoses you can drink out of–without consuming a potentially toxic suite of chemicals. The couple started Water Right in 2008 with the goal of developing a hose superior to any others on the market. Jeff, who recently spoke with HealthyStuff.org, says the company was formed after years of brainstorming and prototype testing to create a “dream hose.”
Having been employed in the plastics industry, Jeff was aware of the safety issues that plagued traditional garden hoses and became convinced that a much better product could be made. He and Katrina set out to make the garden hose that nobody else was making, a hose that was “good for people,” as he says: a safe, long-lasting, American-made product.
Today, in addition to being extremely durable and easy to handle, Water Right’s hoses are free of toxic lead, bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates.
HealthyStuff.org tested over 100 hoses in 2012 and 2013 and found that many are made with polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which contains a range of hazardous additives. Many of the hoses contained lead and/or brominated flame retardants. Some hoses were tested specifically for phthalate plasticizers and were found to contain at least one of the phthalate varieties banned in children’s products in the United States.
Perhaps most alarmingly, water held in tested hoses also showed levels of phthalates and BPA that exceed drinking water standards, demonstrating that these additives migrate from the hose into the water it contains. Garden hoses can thus expose us (and our pets) to harmful chemicals when we water vegetable gardens or play in a sprinkler.
When the Ecology Center released its garden-hose study results in 2013, Water Right hoses were among those that tested positive for lead. In Water Right’s case, lead was in the metal fitting. Jeff Thomas took these results to heart and immediately started drafting ideas to redesign the fitting and make his product lead-free. Jeff was in contact with the Ecology Center throughout the process and made sure that each potential solution he employed was tested for lead and other toxic metals.
The story of the Water Right hose shows how companies can use consumer concerns and chemical test results to better their product. The flexible plastic used to manufacture a Water Right hose is food contact-grade polyurethane that provides long-term durability and is drinking water safe. This means the hoses meet regulatory standards for vessels we can drink from.
The metal fittings and connectors on the hose are selected to have the lowest possible lead content available — over 99.9% lead-free as verified by HealthyStuff.org and another independent lab — and are double-plated with nickel and chrome for extra assurance that they will not leach any lead.
Finally, the long life of a Water Right hose means it will not deteriorate and end up in the trash in a few years like a traditional garden hose.
The reception of Water Right hoses has been resoundingly positive. Endorsements have rolled in from the gardening world; retailers are taking notice and are seeking out Water Right for its reputation as the safest and best garden hose on the market. According to Jeff, this reputation has grown by a mostly organic process, driven by word of mouth. A consumer base increasingly informed and concerned about toxic exposures has generated great momentum for the company.
Katrina and Jeff, however, are not content to rest on their success in designing and marketing their hoses. They have ambitious plans for Water Right, as they plan on targeting other products related to water that can be made not only better performing but also safer for humans and our shared environment.
What hose nozzle do you recommend that would be safe? There are an endless sea of options available. After you select the correct hose, I don’t want to contaminate the water by using a spray nozzle.
Any stainless steel one, like this – http://amzn.to/1M3juut
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