MANCHESTER, Mich. – A day after Manchester residents received news that recent lead tests exceeded what are known as action levels, state and Washtenaw County workers were there to offer testing and water filters.
Two-year-old Brynn Goodrich wasn’t a fan of the finger stick she received Friday. Her father Seth Goodrich found out about the lead level issues Thursday on Facebook.
“It’s always alarming. Lead is lead, it’s not good obviously,” he said.
More: Testing shows high lead levels in water at 7 homes in Village of Manchester
But Washtenaw County nursing director Jane Nickert did what she could to calm the nerves.
“No, I don’t think people need to be worried,” Nickert said.
She said that it’s not the water she’s concerned about. It’s lead chips and dust that are the real problem for children.
“Anyone who lives in a pre-1978 housing, regardless of the community they live in, should get their child tested for lead,” she said.
When it comes to water having filters, it is important and a great idea, and the village is handing out free water filters and replacement packs for anyone wanting one.
So what happened to cause the lead mobilization?
More testing and changing methods are turning up more lead.
Manchester resident and Washtenaw County Commissioner Shannon Beeman said she’s been assured the village’s problems are not near those of Flint or Benton Harbor.
“That is one of the concerns, is that it’s not quite obvious there’s something wrong with your water. It runs clear. You’re not seeing debris in the water whatsoever. There is that concern, but we aren’t at those levels of those other areas,” Beeman said.
“I’m feeling optimistic that it’s going to be OK but obviously we’ll see,” said Goodrich.
Read: Benton Harbor lead crisis forces residents to rely on bottled water