Q. My pump is situated about sixty feet from the cistern, with a 1-inch iron pipe for suction, but every time the pump is used a large quantity of water has to be wasted, on account of the rust in the pipe. Would you have the kindness to let me know that if I use a tin pipe in place of the iron one if it would be perfectly safe to use the water which remains in the tin pipe overnight? Would there be any danger in using lead pipe?

A. Unless there was some peculiar character to the water of which we have no knowledge, a tin pipe could be used safely. We should not recommend the use of lead pipe in such a case. It would probably be necessary to waste as much water as with the iron pipe now in use.