An alarming discovery was made among some homes in Riverview, a suburb of Metro Detroit, where elevated lead levels have been found in the drinking water. According to an announcement by the City of Riverview yesterday, four out of 30 homes tested revealed lead levels that breach the "action level" determined by the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). This standard, while not health-based, underscores that "the goal for lead in drinking water is 0 (parts ber billion); there is no safe level of lead in the blood," as detailed in a CBS News report.
However, these test results do not necessarily signal that all homes are affected, considering lead in drinking water primarily comes from exposure to lead pipes and plumbing within individual residences. A course of action recommended by the Riverview city officials, as relayed by CickOnDetroit, includes running tap water before use to purge any stagnant water that might have higher lead content. Moreover, the city advocates the use of a certified lead-reducing filter and to use of cold water from the tap when preparing drinks and foods, as hot water is believed to dissolve more lead.
Amidst the concern, there’s also been a greater push for transparency, with water systems across Metro Detroit mandated to publish inventories of service line materials by October 16 and to notify residents with potential lead lines within 30 days. As noted by Planet Detroit, this heightened requirement for disclosure came as part of water systems’ efforts to fall in line with state and federal drinking water laws.
