Public notice: Village of Manchester

Village Hall, Village of Manchester

Public Announcement-Lead Action Level Exceedance

The Village of Manchester conducts periodic testing of tap water in homes for lead and copper. We recently collected samples from 19 homes. 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. The lead 90th percentile for the Village water supply is 31 parts per billion (ppb), which exceeds the Action Level of 15 ppb.

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.

Because 7 sites were over the Action Level for lead, the Village of Manchester would like to share some ways you can reduce your exposure to lead since lead can cause serious health problems if too much enters your body from drinking water and other sources.

Lead can enter drinking water when in contact with pipes, solder, home/building interior plumbing, fittings and fixtures that contain lead. 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.

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 services line you should clean your aerators and should flush water from the pipes for at least five minutes by running faucets, taking a shower, washing dishes, or doing a load of laundry.

Everyone can consider using a filter to reduce lead in drinking water. The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recommends that any household with a child or pregnant woman use cold water and a certified lead filter to remove lead from their drinking water, especially when preparing baby formula.

• Look for filters that are tested and certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 53 for lead reduction.
• For filters to work properly, follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Do not use hot water for drinking, preparing food, cooking or preparing baby formula.

Do not boil your water as boiling will not reduce the amount of lead in water.

Clean your facet aerator to remove trapped debris.

The Washtenaw County Health Department is providing free, lead-reducing water filters to Village households with children or pregnant women who receive WIC benefits, Medicaid insurance, or cannot afford a water filter (filters cost about $35 and their replacement cartridges cost about $15). Filters will be available to these households at the Village Hall, 912 City Rd, between 8:30am and 4:00pm starting Friday, October 22nd.

If you are a Village of Manchester water customer and wish to have your drinking water tested for lead or check your water service line material, please contact the Village of Manchester at (734) 428-7877.

The Village of Manchester will soon send a comprehensive public education document about lead in drinking water. We will be collecting 20 samples every six months and reviewing the results to determine if corrective actions are necessary to reduce corrosion in household plumbing.

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 at the Village of Manchester’s website; https://vil-manchester.org/ or at EGLE websites: Michigan.gov/egleleadpublicadvisory or Michigan.gov/MILeadSafe.

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by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and founder of the Manchester Mirror.