EASTPOINTE, Mich. – The city of Eastpointe released a public advisory to its 13,565 water customers due to elevated lead levels, the city announced today.
Test results showed that seven homes with known lead service lines out of 60 homes tested had 22 parts per billion, 7 ppb higher than the action level of 15 ppb. The goal for lead in drinking water is 0 ppb.
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While there is no safe level of lead in blood, the advisory states households with children, pregnant residents, residents with high blood pressure, and residents in homes built before 1987 are especially at risk.
The advisory says that the results are site specific, but every customer should be aware of potential sources of lead, like lead service lines. Lead can also enter drinking water when in contact with pipes, solder, plumbing, fittings, and fixtures that contain lead.
The more time water has been sitting in your home’s pipes, the more lead it may contain. This means if your water has not been run in several hours, home and business owners should flush the water containing lead by running the water before cooking or drinking.
The city replaced the lead service lines in the seven affected homes, and will provide faucet filters, pitcher filters and replacement cartridges to Eastpointe residents with verified cases. The Department of Health and Human Services recommends replacing e-filter cartridges every two months.
Replacement faucet filters, pitcher filters, and replacement cartridges are available at the following locations:
- Eastpointe Library (15875 Oak Ave) - Monday and Tuesday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m, Wednesday and Thursday: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m, Friday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Department of Public Works (17800 E. 10 Mile Road) - Monday – Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- City Hall (23200 Gratiot Ave) - Monday – Thursday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The advisory also listed the following ways to reduce exposure to lead in drinking water:
- Run your water to flush out lead-containing water.
- 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 your home or building’s plumbing and the lead service line.
- Use filtered water when making baby formula or while cooking.
- 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 and NSF/ANSI Standard 42 for particulate reduction.”
- Follow the filter’s manufacturer instructions.
- Do not use hot water for drinking, preparing food, cooking or preparing baby formula.
- Do not boil water as boiling does not reduce the amount of lead in water.
- Clean your faucet aerator to remove trapped debris.
To see if your home has a lead service line, learn more about lead and find more information about lead, click here.
Eastpointe water customers can also call the City of Eastpointe Department of Public Works Water Department at (586) 445-3661 extension five.