Holiday Shores Sanitary District

Water / Sewer / Renewable Power

Holiday Shores Sanitary District
Notices

Important information about lead and drinking water

Carla Lankster

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT LEAD IN YOUR DRINKING WATER

Holiday Shores Sanitary District found elevated levels of lead in drinking water in some homes/buildings. Lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and children 6 years and younger. Please read this notice closely to see what you can do to reduce lead in your drinking water.

Health Effects of Lead

Lead can cause serious health problems if too much enters your body from drinking water or other sources. It can cause damage to the brain and kidneys, and can interfere with the production of red blood cells that carry oxygen to all parts of your body. The greatest risk of lead exposure is to infants, young children, and pregnant women. Scientists have linked the effects of lead on the brain with lowered IQ in children. Adults with kidney problems and high blood pressure can be affected by low levels of lead more than healthy adults. Lead is stored in the bones and it can be released later in life. During pregnancy, the child receives lead from the mother’s bones, which may affect brain development.

Sources of Lead

Lead is a common metal found in the environment. Drinking water is one possible source of lead exposure. The main sources of lead exposure are lead-based paint and lead-contaminated dust or soil, and some plumbing materials. In addition, lead can be found in certain types of pottery, pewter, brass fixtures, food, and cosmetics. Other sources include exposure in the work place and exposure from certain hobbies (lead can be carried on clothing or shoes). Lead is found in some toys, some playground equipment, and some children’s metal jewelry. Brass faucets, fittings, and valves, including those advertised as “lead-free,” may contribute lead to drinking water. The law currently allows end-use brass fixtures, such as faucets, with up to 8 percent lead to be labeled as “lead free.”

Holiday Shores Sanitary District does not have any lead in its source water or water mains. When water is in contact with pipes [or service lines] or plumbing that contains lead for several hours, the lead may enter drinking water. Homes built before 1988 are more likely to have lead pipes or lead solder.  Don’t forget about other sources of lead such as lead paint, lead dust, and lead in soil. Wash your children’s hands and toys often as they can come into contact with dirt and dust containing lead.

EPA estimates that 10 to 20 percent of a person’s potential exposure to lead may come from drinking water. Infants who consume mostly formula mixed with lead-containing water can receive 40 to 60 percent of their exposure to lead from drinking water. Don’t forget about other sources of lead such as lead paint, lead dust, and lead in soil. Wash your children’s hands and toys often as they can come into contact with dirt and dust containing lead.

Steps You Can Take To Reduce Your Exposure To Lead In Your Water

  1. Run your water to flush out lead. Run water for 15-30 seconds to flush lead from interior plumbing or until it becomes cold or reaches a steady temperature before using it for drinking or cooking, if it hasn’t been used for several hours.
  • Use cold water for cooking and preparing baby formula. Do not cook with or drink water from the hot water tap; lead dissolves more easily into hot water. Do not use water from the hot water tap to make baby formula.
  • Do not boil water to remove lead. Boiling water will not reduce lead.
  • In-line filtration. Read the package to be sure the filter is approved to reduce lead or contact NSF International at 800-NSF-8010 or www.nsf.org for information on performance standards for water filters. Be sure to maintain and replace a filter device in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions to protect water quality.
  • Identify and replace plumbing fixtures containing lead. Brass faucets, fittings, and valves, including those advertised as “lead-free,” may contribute lead to drinking water. The law currently allows brass fixtures, such as faucets, with up to 8% lead to be labeled as “lead free.” Visit the Web site at www.nsf.org to learn more about lead-containing plumbing fixtures.
  • Get your child’s blood tested. Contact your local health department or healthcare provider to find out how you can get your child tested for lead if you are concerned about exposure.
  • Look for alternative sources or treatment of water. You may want to consider purchasing bottled water or a water filter. Read the package to be sure the filter is approved to reduce lead or contact NSF International at 800-NSF-8010 or www.nsf.org for information on performance standards for water filters. Be sure to maintain and replace a filter device in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions to protect water quality.

Call us at 618.656.4933. For more information on reducing lead exposure around your home/building and the health effects of lead, visit EPA’s Web site at www. epa.gov/lead or contact your health care provider.

                                                                                                                                                      November 23, 2022

Lead Action Level Exceedance

What do you mean when you say the Action Level has been exceeded?

The Holiday Shores Sanitary District required to notify the public when test results show levels of lead above the 15 ppb (parts per billion) action level in >10% of samples collected.

Exceeding a “Action Level” is not a violation. It does require additional sampling & public education for lead.

Sampling results for the 2022 monitoring period exceeded the lead action level. The lead 90th percentile value for the period was calculated to be 22 ppb.

Holiday Shores Sanitary District is required to sample 20 homes every 3 years for “The Lead & Copper Rule” 3 homes of 20 sites exceeded 15 ppb. 2 of those 3 homes the water was not used over 48 hours. The more time water has been sitting in your pipes, the more lead it may contain. The other 17 were below 15 ppb.

More commonly lead can enter drinking water when the water comes in contact with plumbing materials such as lead pipes or lead solder, or when it comes in contact with faucets, valves, and other components made of brass (brass may have lead in it). This interaction is referred to as corrosion. Even though Holiday Shores Sanitary District delivers water that meets all federal and state standards for lead, you may end up with elevated lead levels in your drinking water because of the plumbing in your home.

What is Being Done?

  1. Collecting 4 distribution samples within 60 days of the monitoring period
  2. Collecting 2 samples from TP01 within 60 days of the monitoring period
  3. Collecting 20 samples from distribution every 6 months
  4. Distribute the enclosed public education material, in November 2022, February 2023 and May 2023.

Call us with any questions at 618.656.4933