GARDEN CITY (WWJ) Garden City has issued a Water Advisory over concerning lead levels in the tap water of at least four homes.
According to a statement on the city’s official website; testing of tap water in Garden City showed four of 30 homes sampled exceeded lead levels of 15 parts per billion (ppb)-- known as the Action Level.
The city conducts periodic, random testing of tap water in homes for lead and copper. Ten of the homes tested in this most recent round were known to have lead pipes.
The Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) evaluates compliance with the Action Level based on the 90th percentile of lead and copper from the homes tested; the city said.
When more than 10% of the homes randomly tested come back over the Action Level, it’s known as Action Level Exceedance. This prompts the city to reach out to customers, sample water every six months, and replace service lines.
The lead 90th percentile for the City’s water supply was 18 parts ppb in this round of testing, according to the statement.
“The ‘Action Level’ is a measure of corrosion control effectiveness,” the statement read. “It is not a health based standard. The goal for lead in drinking water is 0 ppb. There is no safe level of lead in the blood.”
The city said they are currently in the process of replacing all lead service lines, and have completed 358 line replacements since 2019.
“We are committed to helping residents maintain quality drinking water,” the statement read. “Garden City’s water source does not contain lead. However, lead service lines can be a source of lead.”
Garden City officials encourage residents to take the following action to reduce lead exposure:
-Check if your home has a lead pipe.
-Run your tap to flush out the lead in the water: If you do not have a lead service line, run the water for 30 seconds to two minutes, until it's cold or reaches a steady temperature. If you do have a lead line, run the water for at least five minutes.
-The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services recommends households use a certified-lead-reducing drinking filter if your home has a source of lead such as: a lead or galvanized pipe, a lead service line from the street, or old faucets and fittings from prior to 2014.
-Use the filter until you are able to remove sources of lead plumbing-- including replacing pre-2014 faucets or other necessary plumbing and getting a lead inspection.
-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). Use the filter according to the manufacturer's instructions.
-Do not use hot water, for drinking, cooking or preparing baby formula.
-Do not boil your water: it will not remove lead.
-Clean your faucet aerator to remove trapped debris.
If you believe you have lead pipes, you can see the Great Lakes Water Authority’s instructions for how to identify them here. If you can’t determine the type of service line you have, you can schedule an appointment with a city representative to visit your home.