From Kelly House, Michigan Bridge
The Great Lakes News Collaborative includes Bridge Michigan; Circle of blue; Great Lakes Now on Detroit Public Television; and Michigan Radio, Michigan’s NPR News Leader; who work together to bring news and information to the audience about the effects of climate change, pollution and aging infrastructure on the Great Lakes and drinking water. This independent journalism is supported by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. You can find all works HERE.
Michigan’s drive to remove leaded pipes from water supplies across the state is a giant leap in public health, but efforts to protect residents from lead-contaminated drinking water should not end there, said the pediatrician and public health advocate, who contributed to the exposure of the water flint water crisis.
Dr. Mona Hannah-Attisha said Michigan still has a lot of work to do to better educate residents about lead risks and restore confidence in the government following the Flint water crisis.
Bridge Michigan spoke to Hanna-Attisha about how to remove lead from our water supply and how residents can protect themselves while they wait for construction workers to dig up their lead-contaminated pipes. Excerpts from the conversation have been edited for length and clarity.
Let’s start with the basics: What are the chances of these leading service lines in communities in our state?
We have known for centuries that lead is poison, that its effects are life changing, and that the people it hurts the most are our most vulnerable: children.
There is no safe lead content. So what we are supposed to be doing in the area of public health is called primary prevention, which means that we make sure that it is completely removed from the environment. We didn’t make it. There is lead in paint, especially in older houses, there is lead in our soil from industrial use, there is still lead in bullets. However, lead in drinking water is of particular concern because it is a substance that is intended for ingestion.
Those in charge of some Michigan utilities have argued they don’t need to replace lead service lines, in part because they are already using anti-corrosion chemicals to keep drinking water lead below federal legal limits. Is it still necessary to replace the supply line?
Yes.
After the Flint Crisis, there was some scientific evidence that looked back on wastewater data and found that lead was also released in water in 2011. Scientists didn’t know why it happened. This was long before Flint switched water sources (a decision that caused the Flint water crisis).
This underscores the fact that there are sometimes malfunctions in your system that can suddenly release lead and may not show up in a utility company’s regular lead samples. You can try until the cows come home, but the most important thing is to get those service lines up out of the ground.
The biggest misconception that persists about lead is that compliance with federal regulations means our drinking water is safe. However, the 15 parts per billion federal measure on lead (the maximum amount of lead that can be contained in utility water samples without triggering regulatory action) is not a health-related standard. The EPA’s health-related standard is zero parts per billion as there is no safe lead content.
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What is Michigan’s biggest challenge when it comes to removing lead from public water systems?
The costs.
The governor has pledged additional resources to cover the cost of replacing power lines in low-income cities. But we really need more federal support, not just for Michigan but across the country.
My answer to people who say we don’t need a lead service line replacement because cities don’t have the resources is that there is also a huge cost of inaction. If we continue to expose children to lead, it will result in increased criminal justice costs, special education costs, health care costs, mental health costs, and decreased economic activity.
It is expected to take decades to remove lead utilities from Michigan’s public water supply, and the mandate to replace lead lines does not apply to private water supplies such as domestic wells. How can Michigandians protect themselves if they suspect that there is lead in their pipes or fittings?
The cheapest and easiest thing people can do is install a National Sanitation Foundation certified lead clearing filter. It can be attached to the end of your faucet or on a pitcher filter.
Another really simple action is to flush your water when it is not in use. If you haven’t used your water for several hours, you should run the cold water until it is very cold and you know you are getting water straight from the tap.
You should also unscrew and clean the aerators at the end of your faucets at least twice a year, as lead particles can get stuck in them. My lowest day in Flint was when we found out that a children’s home next to the hospital had extremely high levels of lead. When they investigated, they found a piece of lead in the aerator.
Never use hot tap water for cooking or drinking. Hot water dissolves contaminants more easily and therefore carries a greater risk of lead.
In addition to Michigan’s stricter lead and copper rule, are any other policy changes needed to protect residents from lead in drinking water?
I would like to see more politics related to education. Lead-contaminated water protection strategies are not a basic education offered by a public health nurse, gynecology clinic, or pediatrician. These recommendations must be generally available until our pipes are replaced.
I would also like to see free access to lead clearing filters.
And we need more transparency about lead risks. Michigan’s new lead and copper rule requires a nationwide inventory of lead service lines, which is impressive. We could also write something in the rental or apartment code that ensures that people planning to buy or rent a house know if there is lead in the pipes, paint, or other parts of the house.
Michigan’s new lead rules are a direct response to the Flint water crisis, where a cost-cutting decision to switch water supplies without the need for corrosion protection contaminated residents’ water with lead. What else should we learn from this crisis?
First, you need leadership that values public health. Second, you have to respect science. In Flint, the basic science of common sense was dismissed. The third major lesson is that chronic disinvestment in public health infrastructure harms people. And I would say the fourth great lesson is the role of disparities and inequalities. This would never have happened in a richer, whiter community.
Heads of state are trying to address these issues. Governor Whitmer’s whistleblower protection order requiring state officials to speak up if they see anything compromising the health and safety of Michigan is one example, and so is the new environmental justice advocate and clean water advocate at the Department for the Environment , Great Lakes and Energy are two others.
But it will take a long time to heal. It will take accountability and justice, and both are imperfect.
Check out more Great Lakes Flint news now:
Michigan will loan $ 600 million for the Flint Water Settlement
How does a $ 641 million flint water settlement get its residents? Lawyers give answers
The settlement of Flint water lawsuits now stands at approximately $ 641 million
Judge: Flint needs to check the water pipes in newer neighborhoods
Court: Flint class action lawsuit can be fought over lead in water
Featured image: This file photo dated March 21, 2016 shows the water tower at Flint Water Plant in Flint, Michigan. (AP Photo / Carlos Osorio, File)
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