CITY OF BURTON WARNING OF ELEVATED LEAD LEVELS IN DRINKING WATER

  

The City of Burton is alerting residents of elevated lead levels in the city’s water system.

In a notice, the city said sampling found elevated levels of lead in drinking water in some homes or buildings.  During the June 1 – September 30 compliance period, the results of more than 10 percent of the five samples collected exceeded the action level for lead.

The city said it is working diligently to return to compliance as soon as possible and will be conducting additional sampling in the interim.  The city will distribute educational materials to all customers to provide clear instructions on how to reduce lead exposure, including flushing taps before use and utilizing certified water filters. 

According to the city’s notice, lead from water service lines and lead plumbing and fixtures can dissolve or break off into water and end up at the faucet.  The city said this does not mean that every property that receives drinking water from the city’s system has lead in the drinking water.  It added that water is not the only potential source of lead exposure, since lead can be found in air, soil and paint.

Per the notice, the lead action level is a measure of the effectiveness of a water system’s corrosion control treatment and is not a standard for establishing a safe level of lead in a home.  The Environmental Protection Agency requires water systems to test for lead at the tap in certain homes, including those with lead service lines.  Those results are compared to EPA’s action level of 0.015 mg/L.  If 10 percent of the samples from those homes have water concentrations greater than the action level, then the system must perform actions such as public education, adjusting treatment and replacing lead service lines.

Exposure to lead in drinking water can cause serious health effects in all age groups.   Infants and children can have decreases in IQ and attention span.  Lead exposure can lead to new learning and behavior problems or exacerbate existing learning and behavior problems.  The children of women who are exposed to lead before or during pregnancy can have increased risk of these adverse health effects.  Adults can have increased risks of heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney, or nervous system problems.

For more information on all sources of lead, visit www.epa.gov/lead.