PUBLIC ADVISORY FOR DRINKING WATER CUSTOMERS IN THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE

The Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy evaluates compliance with the Action Level based on the 90th percentile of lead and copper results collected in each round of sampling. We recently collected samples from 30 homes with known lead service lines. The lead 90th percentile for the City’s water supply is 18 parts per billion (ppb), which exceeds the Action Level of 15 ppb. Results showed that out of the 30 samples taken, 5 of the homes in Eastpointe exceeded the 15 ppb Action Level. This does not mean that every customer has elevated lead levels. An Action Level exceedance means that more than 10% of the samples tested have elevated lead levels.

The “Action Level” is not a health-based standard, but it is a level that triggers additional actions including, but not limited to, increased investigative sampling of water quality and educational outreach to customers in accordance with the Michigan Safe Drinking Water Act. The goal for lead in drinking water is 0 ppb; there is no safe level of lead in the blood. While the results of the September 2022 samplings are site-specific, not every home was tested and lead levels can vary between homes. Therefore, every customer should be aware of possible sources of lead, how it gets into drinking water, and things you can do to reduce exposure.

Lead can enter drinking water when in contact with pipes, solder, home/building interior plumbing, fittings and fixtures that contain lead. Homes with lead service lines have an increased risk of having high lead levels in drinking water. The more time water has been sitting in your home’s pipes, the more lead it may contain. Therefore, if your water has not been used for several hours, run the water before using it for drinking or cooking. This flushes lead-containing water from the pipes.

The City has contacted the homeowners with elevated lead levels and provided them with their sampling results and faucet filters. The City will also provide initial complimentary faucet filters to any water customer verified to have lead service lines in their home.

Michigan’s Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) published in June 2018 requires communities to replace an average of 5% of their total lead service lines each year, meaning 100% replacement within 20 years. The City of Eastpointe takes issues of water quality very seriously. We have been committed to replacing on average 10-18% of our original 1,313 lead lines per year. In the 2021-22 fiscal year, the City replaced 182 lead lines and in the 2022-23 fiscal year is scheduled to replace an additional 179 lines.

On October 26, 2022 at 5:00 p.m. through 8:00 p.m. at Eastpointe City Hall, residents can meet one-on-one with representatives from the Macomb County Health Department, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, and the City of Eastpointe to discuss lead-related health concerns and water service line materials for individual properties. The State and Macomb County will provide free faucet filters and replacement cartridges to citizens who meet certain qualifications.

How to reduce your exposure to lead in drinking water

  • Run your water to flush out lead-containing water.
  • 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.
  • 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 every household use a certified lead filter to reduce lead from their drinking water, especially households with a child, pregnant person, or individual with high blood pressure, or people residing in houses built before 1987. MDHHS also recommends making baby formula or cooking with filtered water.
  • 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.
  • Do not use 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.

To check whether your home has a lead service line, please complete the form on our website at https://www.cityofeastpointe.net/community/eastpointeleadsafe.php. Our Department of Public Works and Services will review all inquiries and inform residents of their water line material. The City of Eastpointe will soon provide a comprehensive public education document about lead in drinking water. We will be collecting 60 samples every six months and reviewing the results to determine if corrective actions are necessary to reduce corrosion in household plumbing.

If you are a City of Eastpointe water customer and would like your service line inspected or would like to have your drinking water tested for lead, contact the City of Eastpointe Department of Public Works Water Department at (586) 445-3661 ext. 5.

If you are operating a food establishment such as a store, restaurant, bar, or food manufacturing establishment please visit this page www.michigan.gov/mdardleadinfo for specific information for food firms.

Additional information regarding lead can be found on the City of Eastpointe’s website at https://www.cityofeastpointe.net/community/eastpointeleadsafe.php or at EGLE and MDHHS websites: Michigan.gov/EGLELeadPublicAdvisory or Michigan.gov/MILeadSafe.

 

Inquiries on your Water Line:

DPW Water Department

(586) 445-3661 ext. 5

Michigan Lead and Copper Requirement Questions:

State of Michigan Environmental Quality Specialist

(517) 331-5161

Health Effects of Lead Questions:

Macomb County Health Department

(586) 469-5520

 

CITY OF EASTPOINTE OUTREACH AND PUBLIC EDUCATION EVENTS

To receive an immediate water filter, please attend the following drive-thru Water Filter Distribution Event:
Immediate Water Filter Distribution (Drive-Thru)
Wednesday, October 19, 2022 from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Eastpointe Department of Public Works at 17750 E 10 Mile, Eastpointe, MI 48021

For more information about lead in water, health-related concerns and your water service line, attend the following Open House:
Eastpointe Lead Safe Open House and Water Filter Distribution
Wednesday, October 26, 2022 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Eastpointe City Hall at 23200 Gratiot Ave, Eastpointe, MI 48021

 Water filters will also be available for pick-up after October 19, 2022 at Eastpointe City Hall and Public Works Offices.
City Hall Hours: Monday through Thursday between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
DPW Hours: Monday through Thursday between 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

 To schedule a special pick-up time/date, please contact (586)204-3032.