Essentially, bamboo and cane is the same thing. They are both grasses in the Poaceae family of grass. There are hundreds of species of bamboos; however, most bamboo timber is sourced from the Phyllostachys and Bambusa genera. Most bamboo species are native to South Asia, Southeast Asia and East Asia.
Those living in older homes should have their water tested to see if lead is a problem. Plastic pipe such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride, used for cold water only), and CPVC (chlorinated polyvinyl chloride, used for both hot and cold water) have been around for years, and both are approved for use with drinking water.
If the plumbing in your home is old, it is likely that your water pipes are made from iron, steel, or lead. Modern water pipes are almost always made from copper, although plastic or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes are becoming popular too. PVC is likewise a safe material to carry drinking water. 2  Copper and PVC water pipes do not suffer easily from corrosion, while iron corrodes relatively easily. 3  Copper is relatively easy to work with because it is much softer than iron or lead.