Michigan launched a new statewide strategy meant to help protect families most at risk of lead exposure.
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announced the Get Ahead of Lead strategy, which aims to identify and take steps to prevent lead exposure from household plumbing.
Part of the program includes an education campaign to teach people about sources of lead, recommendations for prevention, filter safety, and more.
“Michigan is committed to protecting families from lead exposure by working with communities across the state to reduce or eliminate all sources of lead in the home,” said MDHHS Director Elizabeth Hertel. “By following the recommendations of the Get Ahead of Lead initiative, families can be secure in the knowledge that they have one more layer of protection between themselves and lead.”
How to help reduce lead exposure
Lead exposure can come from many sources including paint in homes built before 1978, dust, soil, drinking water from older plumbing, jobs or hobbies that involve lead, and some imported goods.
The MDHHS recommends Michigan residents use a certified lead-reducing drinking water filter if their home has, or if they are unsure if their home has, one of the following:
- A lead service line carrying water from the street into the home. Contact your local water supply authority to find out if you have a lead service line.
- Faucets and fittings that were sold before 2014.
The following tips can help you maintain your home’s drinking water quality:
- Keep your water moving by running a load of laundry, washing dishes, taking a shower, or flushing the toilet.
- Clean the aerators on your faucets at least once every six months to remove trapped lead and other particles.
- Run your water until it is cold before using it for drinking, cooking, and making baby formula.
Are there symptoms of lead exposure?
Unfortunately, lead exposure in children is difficult to notice and most children have no obvious symptoms immediately.
According to the CDC, lead quickly enters the body and can cause harm. When a child swallows lead, their blood lead level rises. When the exposure stops, the amount of lead in the blood decreases over time.
Lead is released through urine, sweat, and feces. Lead is also stored in bones and it can take decades for lead stores in the bones to decrease.
Should I test my child for lead exposure?
Some children are more likely to be exposed to lead than others. The best way to know if a child has been exposed to lead is to have their blood tested.
Parents and caretakers of children younger than six years old should ask their doctor about blood lead testing. The first test is usually done by taking a finger-prick or heel-prick sample. If that test comes back positive, a second test is usually used to confirm. A blood draw test may be ordered to confirm the blood lead level seen in a test.
The CDC recommends that children who experience the following should be tested for lead:
- Live or spend time in a house or building built before 1978
- Are from low-income households
- Are immigrants, refugees, or recently adopted from less developed countries
- Live or spend time with someone who works with lead or has hobbies that expose them to lead
Children enrolled in Medicaid are required to get tested for lead at ages 12 and 24 months, or age 24-72 months if they have never been tested. Young children often put their hands or other objects in their mouth, which means they are more likely to be exposed to lead than older children.
Click here to learn more about blood lead testing in Michigan.
What are the effects of childhood lead exposure?
Children exposed to lead may experience a lower IQ, a decreased ability to pay attention, and underperformance in school. The CDC said that there is evidence that childhood exposure can cause long-term harm.
Exposure to lead can cause the following:
- Damage to the brain and nervous system
- Slowed growth and development
- Learning and behavior problems
- Hearing and speech problems
The health effects of exposure are more harmful to children younger than six years old because they are still growing.
Free filters, replacement cartridges
Certain households with Medicaid-enrolled children or pregnant persons can receive filter and replacement cartridges upon request through the Filter Safety Net Communities program.
The qualifying communities have a current or past lead action level exceedance or a 90th percentile over 10 parts per billion lead through Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) monitoring, as of Aug. 1, 2023.
Faucet and Filter Safety Net Communities are communities with less than $15,170 taxable value per capita and that are at 125% of the federal poverty line regardless of LCR status. Households in these communities with Medicaid enrolled children or pregnant persons can receive the following upon request:
- Home visit and visual plumbing assessment.
- Filter and replacement cartridges.
- Single faucet replacement.
- Assistance with sign up for Medicaid Lead Abatement program which will address plumbing.
- This affects approximately 58,232 households in the following communities: Highland Park, Muskegon Heights, Albion, Saginaw, Detroit, Hamtramck, City of Benton Harbor, Flint, Pontiac, Inkster and Ecorse.
Visit Michigan.gov/GetAheadofLead for more information about the statewide strategy and to find more educational materials.