OAKLAND COUNTY TO ASSIST WITH LEAD PREVENTION
Following water advisory, residents to receive free water filter kits
Following a city advisory affecting Ferndale water customers with lead service lines to their homes, Oakland County’s Health Division will distribute free water filter kits to residents who qualify next week.
The kits will be available at a drivethrough distribution from 3-6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28 at the Kulick Community Center, 1201 Livernois.
“The quality of our drinking water is vital to the health of our residents,” said Oakland County Executive David Coulter (D-Royal Oak) in a news release Wednesday. “Oakland County stands ready to support our local communities by helping them comply with lead rules, distributing NSF- certified water filters to qualified households, and educating the public.”
Coulter’s announcement comes two days after Ferndale issued an advisory forwater customers with lead service lines.
There are 10,031 service connections in the city and about 3,000 were made with lead or lead- containing materials.
Ferndale and other communities statewide do monitoring for lead levels in water by taking regular samples. Five of 31 samples taken this fall from properties with lead service lines had lead levels of over 15 parts per billion that triggered an Action Level advisory put into place last year by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE).
The Action Level is not a health-based standard, but it requires additional actions, such as increased sampling and educational outreach.
“We’ve scheduled a presentation for Monday’s City Council meeting,” said City Manager Joseph Gacioch. “We’ll get a summary review of water testing and (officials) from EGLE and the state Department of Health and Human Services about the (testing) program and offer advice for homeowners with lead service lines and what they can do.”
In the past year cities such as Royal Oak, Birmingham, Oak Park and Hazel Park have issued similar water advisories.
An advisory is not a violation of the Michigan Safe Drinking Water Act.
“The city’s water supply hasn’t changed and is safe,” Gacioch said. “Testing has changed with expanded testing and the long term solution is to replace lead service lines.”
Ferndale and other cities that have issued water advisories have to replace lead service lines. As required by the state, Ferndale will begin replacing at least 7 percent of lead service lines annually.
Information about the lead tests and steps affected water customers can take to reduce the risk of lead exposure are available on the city’s website at ferndalemi.gov.
One step is for water customers to consider using a filter to reduce lead in drinking water.
Public health officials recommend any household with a child or pregnant woman touse a certified NSF/ ANSl Standard 53water filter, especially for those who use drinking water to prepare baby formula.