Hi Rita,
Thank you very much for your detailed response. It is helpful and I appreciate it greatly.
All the best,
Mona
_ We are responding to your email of July 11, 2015 to Miguel Del Toral. He is out of the office today, but has
_ provided the following information to your lead questions. Overall, he agrees with Marc’s responses on the
| water filter. Filters that are certified to remove lead are typically designed to remove 99 percent of the
| lead. They are also designed with additional capacity as a safety measure, but you should still change the filter
in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. If you identify elevated lead levels from other taps that do
- not have water filters, we suggest either adding a filter to those, such as the bathroom tap, or only using the
| filtered tap water for consumption.
xxxEND_PAGE:deq21_b081_0253_0257_1
_ If you are still interested in having your water tested you should use a laboratory that has been certified by the
| State for drinking water E enailyaes (a list i is swuilable from the anne link:
: i é OG html. Please note that a first-draw
- sample, emer of pre- flushing, is best for identifying lead that comes from the faucet and other in-home
' piping or fittings close to the faucet. First-draw sampling does not give a good indication of the lead
- contribution from sources further from the faucet (i.e. lead service line, leaded brass meter, etc.). Information
| for residents about first-draw samuling bi instructions can be found on the last page of ‘he 2006 memo on aerators
| aerators 10202006. pdf In addition, bela are two Panne — our Region 5 “meat ort information
- about how to identify if you have a lead service line coming into your home and for faucets that do not have
| filters on them, how to clean the aerators.
- Regarding your TTHM question, EPA has considered developmental and reproductive risks from multiple
_ intake routes of exposure (e.g., ingestion, inhalation, and dermal) in our 2006 Disinfectants and Disinfection
' Byproducts (DBPR) rule. Some studies did suggest associations between TTHM exposure and various adverse
- reproductive and development health effects. However, studies available overall showed inconsistent
_ results. As such, our Agency could not conclude whether exposure to TTHMs could cause adverse
_ health effects. However, we did note in our findings that there was the potential
| for concern.
- Currently, we are in the process of re-evaluating our DBPR rules and considering new toxicological data
_ regarding reproductive and developmental health effects. Until our evaluation is complete, pregnant women
- can elect to take additional precautionary measures such as taking shorter showers, venting the room while
| showering/bathing, and not ingesting water with high TTHM concentrations.
| We hope this information is helpful to you.
Rita D. Bair
: Section 2 Chief
: Ground Water and Drinking Water Branch
USEPA-Region 5
: phone:
| fax: 312-692-2132
xxxEND_PAGE:deq21_b081_0253_0257_2
Lead service lines are
generally a dull gray color
and are very soft. You can
identify them easily ay
carefully scratching weak a
hey, lf the pipe is rnade af
lead, the area you've
scratched will ture = beragit
sibeer color. Da nat use a
knife or other sharp
instrument and take care not
to puncture a hole in the
pine.
Ea
Bees
Le
Lead sereire lines can be
connected te the residential
plumbing usag solder and
have a characteristic solder
“bulb” at the end, a
compression fitting, ar other
conmecter made of
galvanized iron or
brass/ bronze.
MBter, YOu water wet?
may be in your hame a
Lead service lines often end
dust inside the frant or side
wall of the home, bur may
extend further into the
“meter pit” or “meter «i
@s shwwn above.
building as shown, where
the Jead service line comes
gut af the basement flanr te
the water meter and then
back into the floor,
continuing Farther mto the
building.
i
Sica ema ea
: Ee
EU eee eee ee
Ee _-=Ssiésizs_i_C
=
eee i:
__sazéwétié#iz.
iMany taps have an aereter as part of the faucet assembly. Aerator screens are not intended to remove contaminants in:
water, but may trap sediment or debris as water passes through the faucet. Lead-bearing sediment may end up in drin
water from physical corresiom of leaded solder and can build up in the aerator over time.
t. Remove the aerator by
peisting off with hands or
pliers.
2. Qae oy more parts are
contained within the aerator.
Mate the arder anc
orientation of the parts as
you remave them.
3. Rinse the pieces with
weter and Orush aff the
4, Reassemble the ser
screw it back onte the
and hancd-tighten. if ar
debris, For deposits that ace
difficult ta remove, soak the
parts in water for a few
sinutes and scrub with a
toothbrush, Backwashing
parts are cracked or
broken, repiace them.
washer has hardened
should be replaced.
Berator campanents is also
en effective cdeaning method
for many aerator types. Hold
the removed aerator uoside
down under flowing water ta
bechwash screens and mesh
filters.
xxxEND_PAGE:deq21_b081_0253_0257_3
_ From: Mona Munroe-Younis [mailto:
_ Sent: Saturday, July 11, 2015 5:57 P
ai