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 City of Eastpointe recently collected samples from 61 homes with known lead service lines. The lead 90th percentile for the City’s water supply is 25 parts per billion (ppb), which exceeds the Action Level of 15 ppb.

Results showed that out of the 61 homes sampled, 8 of the homes had results over 15 ppb. While these results are site-specific, every customer should be aware of possible sources of lead, how it gets into drinking water, and things you can do to reduce exposure. Homes with lead service lines have an increased risk of having high lead levels in drinking water.

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.

The “Action Level” is a measure of corrosion control effectiveness; it is not a health-based standard. The goal for lead in drinking water is 0 ppb; there is no safe level of lead in the blood.

An “Action Level exceedance” means that more than 10% of the homes tested have results over 15 ppb. The exceedance triggers additional actions including, educational outreach to customers, ongoing sampling every six months, and service line replacement.

The City has already replaced the lead water lines in 7 of the 8 homes that exceeded the Action Level of 15 ppb. The City will continue to provide complimentary faucet filters and replacement cartridges to any water customer verified to have lead water service line in their home, or who meets the state-mandated qualifications.  DHHS recommends replacing filter cartridges every two (2) months.

The City takes issues of water quality very seriously. Since 2020, the City has replaced a total of 805 verified lead water service lines. In 2023, the State of Michigan awarded $10 million dollars to the City of Eastpointe to continue replacing verified lead water service lines.