It certainlty makes more sense than banning it in electronics. All electronics gets recycled nowadays. And we don't eat it.
When all lead in electronics is banned, we will have saved 0.14% of the world lead usage.
I live in europe. You will follow with leadfree electronics sooner or later. And then you will follow this too:
Since Januar 1st 2008 In Germany it is forbidden to drive older cars in certain cities. Diesels must be from 2001+, gasoline must also be reasonably new. In the Netherlands, Amsterdam is going to follow this too. And I am sure other countries will follow. And the area will expand from city-centres to whole cuties, then whole countries. Meaning that we all will have to drive very new cars.
The reason behind this is that newer cars follow the newest environment requirements.
About the plumbing: it is adviced over here that when you live in a house with old plumbing (whats in a name), it is best to let (in the morning) the water run for 10 seconds or more first so the piping contains new water. Very small amounts of lead may leak into the water, giving high levels of lead. Especially for children this is not good.
Pieter