INC NEWS - Response to Lead Testing Concerns

[RW Pickle]

>From the City PR Dept.
RWP
27 Beverly

Response to Lead Testing Concerns

Op-Ed from Durham City Manager Patrick Baker – January 11, 2007

This Op-Ed was published in The Herald Sun - January 14, 2007

What should you know about Durham’s drinking water?  First and foremost,
you should know that the water leaving our distribution system is safe. 
However, if you live in a home at highest risk, those built just prior to
North Carolina’s 1985 lead solder ban, there are steps that you can take
to help ensure that the water coming out of your faucet is even safer,
such as running your water for about a minute before using it.  Recently,
though, you may have read articles that questioned how Durham conducted
tests for lead in our drinking water last year.  Because it is important
that you the public have confidence in the City as a distributor of
drinking water, I wanted address this issue directly.

Durham has been in the businesses of supplying drinking water to our
citizens for almost 100 years.  Since that time, quality testing
procedures have improved tremendously; in fact, to the point to where lead
and other compounds are measured in parts per billion.   I’m told that a
part per billion is the equivalent of taking one step up on a stairway to
the moon.  That’s good news, given the widely known health risks lead
poses to people, particularly children under six, and pregnant women.
 Furthermore, testing procedures for public water systems are regulated by
the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, which
is responsible for enforcing Environmental Protection Agency regulations. 
The City of Durham has and always will strive to comply with, and even go
beyond, recommended protocols and procedures to meet our customers’
expectations and needs.

Although we have not been told by DENR or EPA that we have violated any
rules, we take allegations regarding our testing protocols and our
concerns for public health very seriously.  Durham residents are entitled
to have a clear and accurate understanding of the quality of our water. 
Accordingly, I am seeking an independent review of our lead testing and
notification protocols and will make this report public. 

Following concerns that a child may have ingested a high amount of lead
from water in a Durham apartment complex, the City conferred with County
and State officials regarding lead testing.  We also engaged in an
extensive campaign to advise all Durham residents of the risks of lead
exposure and simple steps residents could take to greatly reduce if not
eliminate their exposure.  Residents in homes built before 1986 were
encouraged to have their water tested free of charge by the City – and
more than 800 did.  Although we were not required to conduct federally
mandated lead and copper compliance testing until 2007, the City
volunteered to conduct this compliance testing of 69 homes in September
2006.  Prior to the September compliance testing, the City, again on our
own initiative, identified nine homes from the compliance pool for special
investigational testing last July and August.  These nine homes were
selected because the lead levels in their tap water increased from the
2001 to the 2004 compliance testing rounds.  The purpose of the special
testing was to determine whether the City could reduce the amount of lead
leaching from the plumbing of these homes by changing certain treatment
chemicals used by the city.  Follow-up tests showed the changes were
effective in reducing lead from all but one of those homes.  State
regulators approved both our September compliance testing plans and were
aware of the treatment changes made in July and August.    

As has been reported, the results of our compliance testing in September
showed that more than 90 percent of the homes met safe drinking water
standards.  However, at issue is whether or not the three rounds of
special investigational tests, which showed varying high levels of lead in
some homes, should have been included as part of the compliance testing. 
We have sought guidance from State and EPA officials on this issue.  We
hope that the city will not be penalized for proactive actions taken in
the interest of public health to reduce lead exposure in these homes by
having to include these rounds of testing as part of the compliance
determination.

While the quantity of customer requests for lead testing last year was
unusual, more than 800 compared to a typical 20 tests per year, we
acknowledge that it is our responsibility to be aware of State and EPA
rules for testing and reporting.  As soon as we became aware of the
requirement to submit customer request test results to the State, we did
so immediately.  We have always and will continue to communicate test
results to our customers, and will now strengthen that practice by sending
results by certified mail. 

No matter the findings, an independent review can only strengthen our lead
and copper testing program and, hopefully, your confidence in the City’s
ability to provide safe water to you, our customer.  We pledge that we
will make the independent review available to you when it is complete. 
You can find more information on reducing risks for lead in drinking water
on the following websites:   www.durhamnc.gov, or  www.epa.gov; or by
calling the EPA Safe Drinking Water hotline at (800) 426-4791.  If you
have any questions or comments, please call Durham One Call at 560-1200
and ask to speak to a water management representative.