I think the idea was that water pipes will build up a later of calcium anyway, so they aren't harmful.

In Germany there are probably tons of lead pipes still in existence and and only from 2026 is there a law that they all _have_ to replaced (previously they could stay as long as the water lead content was in the permitted range, but I don't think anybody ever checked).

Lead flashing is still in use for roofing elsewhere in the EU. Most of the builders yards near me have rolls of it.

In the UK lead pipes were legal to install until 1970s.