New motto for the capital: Lead City. This is well past breaking news, but the fun continues. For those who are not in the know, the metro area water agency switched from chlorine to chloramines, removing the potential danger of a chlorine gas release. Apparently this can be corrosive, and leaches existing lead from water pipes, a situation known for some lengthy period before the public was notified. The exact situation is difficult to ascertain argues one cautionary testimony about the complexity of the problem.
So what to do? A flash explanation by WASA of how lead enters water going into the home suggests running the water for one minute to flush lead out. YET, the advice on how to filter water properly (PDF) instructs the user to run water for 10 minutes or draw water after showering or doing laundry if water has not been used for about 6 hours. Then flush for an additional minute before drawing water to be filters. Cold, filtered water only should be used for cooking and drinking.
For its part, the EPA concurs with the latter advice.
Aside from the extraordinarily poor fashion in which both WASA and the EPA addressed the situation—they informed the public belatedly,—the lead situation may be a harbinger for other cities, according to the EPA. It seems the assumptions about testing, proper response to lead in the water, and how extensive the problem of lead-contaminated water might be have all been modified because of DC's experience.
In essense, the District is a laboratory, as little is known about lead ingested through water, particuly by babies and children. Because of how their bodies process lead, children are particularly vulnerable, and the side effects tend to be lasting. But testing of District children was not designed well enough to elicit answers, failing to distinguish between those exposed to lead just in water and those exposed to lead-laden paint and soil too. Posted at April 29, 2004 07:37 AMThis discussion has been closed. No more comments may be added.