Garden City issues advisory due to elevated lead levels in drinking water
GARDEN CITY, Mich. (FOX 2) - Garden City issued an advisory after recent drinking water testing showed elevated levels of lead in some homes' pipes.
Samples were taken from 31 homes. According to the advisory, the lead 90th percentile for the city's tested water supply is 18 parts per billion (ppb), which exceeds the Action Level of 15 ppb after four of the tested homes had levels above 15 ppb. This led to the city issuing an Action Level exceedence advisory.
According to the city, the action level is exceeded if more than 10% of the homes tested have results greater than 15 ppb. Of the homes where lines were tested, 10 were known to have lead service lines.
The city said it is working with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) to address the issue,
Garden City is working to replace lead service lines, and has replaced 358 lines since 2019.
Residents who believe they may have lead service lines running to their homes are urged to check their pipes. If you are having trouble finding the material they are made of, you can schedule a service line inspection.
Tips for avoiding lead exposure:
Check whether your home has a lead service line. Homes with lead service lines have an increased risk of having high lead levels in drinking water.
• Run your water to flush out lead-containing water.
o If you do not have a lead service line, run the water for 30 seconds to two minutes, or until
it becomes cold or reaches a steady temperature.
o If you do have a lead service line, run the water for at least five minutes to flush water from your home or building’s plumbing and the lead service line.
• The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) recommends that Michigan households use a certified lead-reducing drinking water filter if your home has or if you are uncertain if it has a source of lead, such as one of the following:
o Lead or galvanized plumbing.
o A lead service line carrying water from the street to their residence.
o Copper plumbing with lead solder before 1988 (EGLE recommendation).
o Old faucets and fittings that were sold before 2014.
• Use the filter until you are able to remove sources of household lead plumbing, such as:
o Replace pre-2014 faucets.
o Get a lead inspection and replace needed plumbing.
• Look for filters that are tested and certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 53 for lead reduction and
NSF/ANSI Standard 42 for particulate reduction (Class I).
• For filters to work properly, follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Use cold water (not hot water) for drinking, preparing food, or cooking, or preparing baby formula.
• Do not boil your water as boiling will not reduce the amount of lead in water.
• Clean your faucet aerator to remove trapped debris.