Detroit Water and Sewerage Department reports the city’s water sampling results below the Lead and Copper Rule action level

• DWSD’s water quality continues to meet the requirements of Michigan’s revised Lead and Copper Rule, the most stringent in the nation.
• The testing method changed for all Michigan communities due to new state regulations.
• DWSD is committed to comply with Michigan’s revised Lead and Copper Rule, and has been replacing lead service lines when it is on the same street replacing water mains.
• There has been no confirmed case in the city of Detroit where a child tested with elevated blood lead levels and the sole source was drinking water.

DETROIT – The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) is reporting that its results for the Lead and Copper Rule compliance testing is 10 parts per billion (ppb), which is under the state action level for lead remediation.

All communities with lead service lines must sample tap water in homes with lead service lines as required by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This summer, DWSD collected water samples from 55 homes with lead service lines. The 90th percentile of samples was 10 ppb, which is under the action level of 15 ppb. It increased from DWSD’s last report of 4 ppb in 2016. A water supply exceeds the action level if more than 10 percent of all samples is over the action level. Due to the procedural changes in Michigan’s revised Lead and Copper Rule, most communities are expected to see an increase in the results this year compared with previous years.

Fifty-four homes tested in Detroit had lead results below the action level of 15 ppb. Only one home tested above the action level. The first liter sampled from the home exceeding the action level was at 114 ppb. The fifth liter sample at the same home was 6 ppb. The resident was notified, and provided flushing instructions, a pitcher filter with replacement cartridges, instruction on cleaning faucet aerators monthly, and a plumbing inspection by DWSD personnel to identify components that need to be replaced. Also, DWSD will provide secondary testing to see if the results change after the recommended actions. DWSD will continue to work with this homeowner to help minimize lead in their drinking water.

”We want to assure Detroiters the water supplied by DWSD is safe for drinking,” said Gary Brown, DWSD director. “The water leaving Detroit’s water treatment plants, operated by the Great Lakes Water Authority, does not contain lead. The primary sources of lead in water are lead service lines, lead solder, and/or fixtures containing lead in the home. Even before the State of Michigan enacted the most stringent Lead and Copper Rule in the nation, DWSD began replacing lead service lines during water main replacement projects and providing pitcher filters to those residents and businesses as a precautionary measure. We have replaced more than 500 lead service lines over the past year. While the lead in drinking water test results are higher than in 2016, they are due to a change in state regulated testing methods.”

The Chief Public Health Officer for the City of Detroit Denise Fair said, “The State of Michigan recently adopted a series of changes to the Lead and Copper Rule as part of the Michigan Safe Water Drinking Act. These changes created additional regulations and new sampling procedures for lead in drinking water and although we’re pleased that the most recent sampling results are under the Lead and Copper Rule action level; we know that the presence of lead in decaying paint and dust is the number one source of lead poisoning in children living in homes that were built before 1978. Therefore, we recommend that if you have any concerns regarding lead exposure – to request a lead test from your child’s primary health care provider or contact the Detroit Health Department.”

The new Michigan Lead and Copper Rule Testing Method
The new Michigan Lead and Copper Rule – the most stringent in the nation (enacted in June 2018) – changed the way lead samples are collected at Detroit homes.  In the past, DWSD collected only the first liter of water out of the tap. Under the new rule, both the first and fifth liter are collected. The first liter represents water from household plumbing and fixtures, and the fifth liter is more likely to represent water from the lead service line. The service line is the pipe which brings water from the water main in the street to inside the home or business. In Detroit, most service lines are either lead, copper or galvanized steel. Lead service lines are under two inches in diameter and are mostly at single family or duplex homes. The new sampling technique more accurately represents the range of lead in the drinking water in Detroit homes.

Lead in Drinking Water
The water leaving Detroit water treatment plants, operated by the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA), does not contain lead, but lead can be released into drinking water from lead service lines and home plumbing as the water moves from the water mains to your tap. Beginning in 1945, Detroit stopped allowing the installation of lead piping for water service lines. Homes before 1945 are most likely to have a lead pipe that connects the home to the water main, known as a lead service line. The lead in lead service lines, household plumbing and fixtures can dissolve or break off into water and end up in tap water. The water provided to DWSD customers contains a corrosion inhibitor to reduce leaching from lead service lines and other lead components, but lead can still be present in water at the tap.

Health Effects of Lead
Lead can cause serious health and development problems. The greatest risk of lead exposure is to infants, young children, and pregnant women. Older homes can have many sources of lead exposure including paint, dust and soil. If you have questions about other sources of lead exposure, please contact the Detroit Health Department at 313-876-0133. 

Sources of Lead
Drinking water is only one source of lead exposure. Some of the most significant sources, especially for children six years old and under, include lead-based paint and lead contaminated dust and soil. Because lead can be carried on hands, clothing, and shoes, sources of exposure to lead can include the workplace and certain hobbies. Wash your children’s hands and toys often as they can come in contact with dirt and dust containing lead. In addition, lead can be found in certain types of pottery, pewter, food and cosmetics. If you have questions about other sources of lead exposure, please contact the health department.

Most plumbing products such as service lines, pipes and fixtures contain lead. The infographic below demonstrates where sources of lead in drinking water could be in your home. Older homes may have more lead unless the service line and/or plumbing has been replaced. Lead-based solder and lead-based fittings and fixtures are still available in stores to use for non-drinking water applications. Be careful to select the appropriate products for repairing or replacing drinking water plumbing in your home. Even materials currently marked “lead free” have up to 0.25% lead by weight.

Galvanized plumbing can be a potential source of lead. Galvanized plumbing can absorb lead from upstream sources like a lead service line. Even after the lead service line has been removed, galvanized plumbing can continue to release lead into drinking water over time. Homes that are served by a lead service line should consider replacing galvanized plumbing inside the home.

Steps You Can Take to Reduce Your Exposure to Lead in Your Water

• Run your water to flush out lead. The more time water has been sitting in your home’s pipes, the more lead it may contain. Therefore, if your water has not been used for several hours, run the water before using it for drinking or cooking. This flushes lead-containing water from the pipes. If you do not have a lead service line, run the water for 30 seconds to two minutes, or until it becomes cold or reaches a steady temperature. If you do have a lead service line, run the water for at least five minutes to flush water from both the interior building plumbing and the lead service line. 
• Use only cold water for drinking and cooking. Do not cook with or drink water from the hot water tap; lead dissolves more easily into hot water.
• Use only filtered water or bottled water for preparing baby formula.
• Do not boil water to remove lead. Boiling water will not reduce lead levels. In the event DWSD issues a boil water advisory due to low water pressure (such as caused by a large water main break), water users in the designated advisory area will be advised to boil water before using for cooking, drinking and brushing your teeth. Residents with lead service lines should only boil filtered water — not water directly from the tap.
• Consider using a filter to reduce lead in drinking water. The Detroit Health Department recommends that any household with a child or pregnant woman use a certified lead filter to reduce lead from their drinking water. Look for filters that are tested and certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 53 for lead reduction. 

Some filter options include a pour-through pitcher or faucet-mount systems. If the label does not specifically mention lead reduction, check the Performance Data Sheet included with the device. Be sure to maintain and replace the filter device in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions to protect water quality.

• Get your child tested. Contact the Detroit Health Department at 313-876-0133 or healthcare provider to find out how you can get your child tested for lead if you are concerned about exposure.
• Identify older plumbing fixtures that likely contain lead. Older faucets, fittings, and valves sold before 2014 may contain higher levels of lead, even if marked “lead-free.” Faucets, fittings, and valves sold after January 2014 are required to meet a more restrictive “lead-free” definition but may still contain up to 0.25 percent lead. When purchasing new plumbing materials, it is important to look for materials that are certified to meet NSF standard 61.
• Clean your aerator. The aerator on the end of your faucet is a screen that will catch debris. This debris could include particulate lead. The aerator should be removed monthly to rinse out any debris.
• Test your water for lead. To request for your water to be tested, please visit detroitmi.gov/leadsafe and search “lead and copper sample request form.” If you do not have Internet access, please call the Detroit Lead Safe Resource Line at 313-964-9300 for further assistance.

Additional information regarding lead, including “Frequently Asked Questions about Lead in Drinking Water” can be found on the City of Detroit’s website at www.detroitmi.gov/leadsafe or visit EGLE’s website at www.michigan.gov/MILeadSafe.