In Tacoma, tests are continuing on homes found to have problems with lead in drinking-water lines. Last week, the city revealed it found high lead levels in the water supply at four houses in the Lincoln District. Gooseneck lead pipes, dating from more than 50 years ago, connecting the homes to the main water lines are to blame. Seattle quickly did some tests of its own and didn’t find any lead. Meanwhile, other utilities are looking to the Washington Department of Health for direction.
Mike Means, acting director of the Office of Drinking water for Washington’s Department of Health, is in Tacoma monitoring the testing.
“We’re looking to see the information that we get from Tacoma to help better inform what kind of recommendations we might give to other water systems across the state,” Means said.
He says it’s important that customers have faith in the safety of their drinking water. But, he says it's also important to keep the problem in perspective. "All of the data that we have associated with blood lead levels in the state of Washington, drinking water has not been a significant contributor of any high lead level result that we found," Means said.
Means says the good news is that, unlike in Flint, Michigan; running the tap for two minutes will make the water safe in systems here because the water in the main lines is free of lead.
“So, if water’s been sitting stagnant in a pipe for six hours or more and you flush water through so that you’re getting fresh water from the main, there will be no lead in your water.”
And there are other things you can do to limit lead in the water, including regularly cleaning screens and aerators on faucets.
