Eight Large Water Systems Had High Lead Levels in 2003

WASHINGTON, DC, May 7, 2004 (ENS) - Eight large water systems across the United States exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) 15 parts per billion (ppb) action level for lead sometime in 2003, the agency said on Thursday.

A national review is underway of implementation and compliance with the national drinking water regulation for lead after elevated drinking water lead levels were found in Washington, DC, but only incomplete data was available as of January 2004.

States were asked to submit data for large systems that serve more than 50,000 people by April 15. The information gathered in response to that request shows that these eight large water systems had lead levels over 15 parts per billion at some time during 2003 - Washington, DC; Pompano Beach, Florida; 28 towns and cities in Massachusetts including Boston; Hendersonville, North Carolina; Syracuse, New York; Yonkers, New York; El Yunque, Puerto Rico; and Salem, Oregon.

The data is still incomplete for these large systems. "Information is now available about the 90th percentile levels for lead in drinking water for 85 percent of the nation's 838 water systems serving more than 50,000 people," the EPA said Thursday.

The 90th percentile means that if a water system monitors 100 homes, it sorts its results from the lowest to the highest concentration of lead in the water and reports the concentration it observed in the 90th sample.

If tap monitoring samples from more than 10 percent of the homes served by a system exceed the15 ppb action level as determined by the concentration at the 90th percentile, the utility must undertake a number of actions.

These actions include addressing the corrosion control treatment process, increase monitoring, carrying out public education efforts and potentially, replacing lead service lines.

The EPA has asked for complete data from medium sized systems serving between 3,300 and 50,000 people by mid-May; and for systems that serve less than 3,300 by the end of June. For small systems, a state is only required to report a 90th percentile if the value is greater than the action level.

The EPA's large water system summary is online here: http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lcrmr/pdfs/data_leadsummary_042804.pdf