A tap sold at Aldi may be poisoning tens of thousands of Australians after tests found water coming from it contained 15 times the safe level of lead.

The toxic taps, sold for just $79.99, have been installed in more than 12,000 households all over Australia.

People who own the spiral spring mixer tap are being warned not to use water run through it for drinking or cooking, reports Daily Mail.

The Queensland Building and Construction Commission was responsible for testing the taps, The Courier-Mail reported.

Tests were conducted by Queensland Health’s Forensic and Scientific Services unit on a single faucet, and will be followed by more comprehensive testing.

The results came as a surprise to the Melbourne’s IAPMO R&T Oceana, which had previously cleared the tap as returning water 9.5 times under the lead limit.

‘Everything we have on file indicates the product fully complies. It looks 100 per cent kosher,’ IAPMO technical adviser Glenn Tate said.

The results came as a surprise to the Melbourne’s IAPMO R&T Oceana, which had previously cleared the tap as returning water 9.5 times under the lead limit.

‘Everything we have on file indicates the product fully complies. It looks 100 per cent kosher,’ IAPMO technical adviser Glenn Tate said.

ALDI Safety statement

ALDI has since released a statement assuring the public that the Spiral Spring Mixer Tap was independently tested and confirmed to comply with Australian standards prior to going on sale.

“ALDI Australia takes safety very seriously. We have strict quality assurance processes in place and we relentlessly test our products to ensure they are safe and of the highest quality,” said a spokesperson for the retailer.

“We are liaising with the responsible Authorities and our Supplier to investigate the matter with utmost urgency. If at any stage test results confirm that chemical parameters do not meet regulatory requirements, ALDI will take appropriate action. ALDI will always remove any product from sale if it is identified as a risk to our customers.”

If you have concerns, you can contact ALDI directly or return the tap to an ALDI store for a full refund.

If you purchased one of these products we would advise you cease using immediately and return to place of purchase.

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