RE: DEQ testing at Flint Schools
- From
- Brad Wurfel
What's the deadline?
Yas, testing is all the sarne.
Eisenhower report is not yei up on the site. They're gushing i this afternoor:. ive tacked the message
with that email announcernent below just so you know what will go out officially in an nour or so.
We are planning io issue the reports as the data is processed and the reparis are composed.
We'd like to cio at least one a week, but composition of the reports is a lot of work,
iS)
Brad Wurfel
Communications firector,
Michigan Departrnent of Environmental Quality
wurfelb@michigan. pov
Greetings. This is to alert you that the DEQ today posted its latest report from water
tests at Flint schools. The report from Eisenhower Elementary is enclosed, and now
available on the state’s Flint water website, www. Michigan. .gov/finiwater
This testing is different from the surveillance testing done for compliance with the
federal Lead and Copper Rule. It involves selecting specific sites within each school
(faucets and drinking fountains) and performing repeated tests to check for lead
exposure at initial draws and subsequent draws over several minutes. Additionally,
state teams are performing extended water draws at strategically selected locations to
identify lead components deeper in the school’s plumbing infrastructure.
State teams have now completed sampling at eight Flint schools, and a clear pattern is
emerging: Old faucets and drinking fountains are a potential source for lead exposure.
The good news is that replacing these outdated faucets is inexpensive compared to
addressing major plumbing and is effective at eliminating lead exposure. The other
good news is that, when run for a few minutes, presence of lead in the sampling drops
to minimal or non-detection levels.
This news should also be of value to residents in older homes, whether in Flint or
anywhere in the state. Old faucets likely contain brass components that can impart
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lead into water. Anyone concerned about lead exposure in water can take simple steps
to build awareness of their exposure and prevent it.
Free water testing is available to any Flint resident. More than 500 residents
have taken advantage of this program since September. The results of that
testing are regularly updated on the state’s website.
Free blood lead level testing is available through Genessee County Health
Department. Results of that testing also are available on the state’s website.
Educational materials are available to help residents learn more about lead
exposure and how to prevent it. On the website.
Experts with the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs’ Plumbing
division of offer the following advice for concerned homeowners:
Household Plumbing Tips from LARA
Check and clean aerator screens in faucets around the house. Screens can
sometimes contain a buildup of lead contaminants.
Inspect household plumbing for lead solder. Solder joints connect pipes in
household water distribution systems. If your house was built before 1987, your
plumbing may have lead solder.
Look at the home water service pipes that connect the water main in the street to
the household plumbing. Homes built in the mid-1950s may still have lead
service pipes.
Call a professional. Have your home inspected by a licensed plumbing contractor
to determine the features of your household plumbing. To verify if a plumbing
Sent: Thursday, December 03, 2015 12:39 PM