Behind the mic: how we got the nation talking about lead-free solder

I recently joined the WaterSafe Register team for a busy day in the City, as radio stations across the UK helped us put lead-free solder on the airwaves.

Jonathan Samuel, Director of WaterSafe Register, Rose Wilkinson, Head of Science at Anglian Water, and Jerry Whiteley, Technical Manager at the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering, took a turn in the hot seat, bringing the research, the risks and the WaterSafe Register to life on air.
   

Why lead-free solder matters

Lead solder has been banned from drinking water systems since the 1970s, but it is still legal on closed heating systems - which means it can still be found in plumbers’ bags.

Our research found that 93% of plumbers still carry lead solder to jobs, and one in four did not know it can cause serious health problems if it gets into drinking water. The World Health Organization is clear that there is no safe level of lead in drinking water.

The good news is that registered plumbers are much more informed: 98% know the health risks, compared with 77% nationally, and only 17% still carry lead solder. There is also a clear appetite for change, with 79% of plumbers surveyed supporting restrictions on sales and nearly as many backing an outright ban.

There was reassurance to share too. Drinking Water Inspectorate data shows that 99.97% of drinking water samples passed stringent safety tests in 2025, although a third of water quality events were linked to internal plumbing problems.

Britain has some of the best tap water in the world but lead solder can still create a serious health risk.

Getting the message on air

We worked with media specialists Broadcast Revolution to build a national broadcast day, starting with a pre-recorded interview shared with 105 stations, followed by live interviews from its London studio.

A further nine stations, including Sky News Radio, talkSPORT Network and local commercial stations, interviewed our spokespeople, with a bonus appearance on Greatest Hits Radio Suffolk the following week.

A real highlight was Jonathan’s appearance on BBC Radio 2’s Midnight Mastermind with OJ Borg, where plumbing knowledge had its moment in the limelight. OJ scored a respectable two out of three, giving water safety and professional standards a light-hearted route to a national audience.

My job on the day was to help the team keep the message clear and consistent, turn technical expertise into a consumer-friendly story, and make sure WaterSafe Register, the research findings and the lead-free pledge came through in every interview.

The bottom line

By the end of the campaign, the interviews reached 16.67 million people across well over 100 radio stations.

More listeners than ever now know that lead solder in a drinking water pipe is rare, but potentially life-limiting, and that choosing a WaterSafe-registered plumber is one of the simplest ways to reduce the risk.

A huge thank you to Rose, Jerry and Jonathan for stepping up to the mic.

If you are a plumber carrying lead solder, now is a good time to take the pledge and go lead-free.

If you are a homeowner, check whether your plumber is WaterSafe-registered, ask what solder they are using and keep an eye out for the red lead solder or green lead-free solder reel.

Find out more on our lead-free solder webpage.