City officials are taking steps to ensure the water is safe for all residents again after it was announced that lead was detected in the drinking water at some homes in Metro Detroit.
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy told Local 4 that this is the city’s seventh action level exceedance, the last one being in 1999.
Riverview collected from June 1 through Sept. 30, but the results came back not long ago.
Under new strict Environmental Protection Agency rules, the city had 24 hours to announce its findings through a Tier 1 Public Notice.
The results showed that four homes out of 30 properties in the sample had elevated levels of lead in their drinking water.
Resident Norma Brickey said she was not surprised.
After receiving multiple notices concerning lead detection, her late husband and she decided to replace their plumbing lines between the late 1980s and early 1990s.
“We have filters on everything, and even though I have those where I run water the faucet, I still filter it,” Brickey said. “The only thing we haven’t done is replaced the line from the street to the house.”
The city does have a lead replacement program.
Riverview Mayor Andrew Swift said the city is on track to replace 51 lead lines between 2021 and the end of this year.
According to Scott Dean, a strategic communications advisor for EGLE, Michigan’s strict policies for clean drinking water require public water systems to conduct five-liter samples.
He said that had the fifth sample not happened, Riverview wouldn’t have had an Action Level Exceedance.
In the new year, the state’s rules are about to get even more strict.
Dean said the Action Level is currently at 15 parts per billion but will drop to 12 parts per billion.
Swift said there are 65 known lead lines and 35 unknown ones that may be lead.
At 101 years young, Anne Kronsich has lived in her home since the 60s.
In all of those years, she’s not had her water tested, nor does she know what material is used for her plumbing and water service line.
Others say the findings are isolated.
Riverview officials say it’s important to make clear that the results do not mean that water in all homes has lead.
What’s next?
EGLE outlines Riverview will need to collect more water samples while immediately boosting public education among residents.
Riverview residents who suspect that their water may contain lead are encouraged to call the Department of Public Works at (734) 281-4270.
Click here to learn how to reduce your exposure to lead in drinking water.