Evaluating Water Lead Levels During the Flint Water Crisis

• Published in: Environmental science & technology 2018-08, Vol.52 (15), p.8124-8132
• Main Authors: Pieper, Kelsey J, Martin, Rebekah, Tang, Min, Walters, LeeAnne, Parks, Jeffrey, Roy, Siddhartha, Devine, Christina, Edwards, Marc A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Copper; Corrosion; Corrosion control; Corrosion inhibitors; Corrosion prevention; Drinking water; Galvanizing; Groundwater pollution; Inhibitors; Lakes; Leaching; Lead; Lead content; Lead poisoning; Rivers; Sampling; Water crises; Water shortages
• ISSN: 0013-936X; 1520-5851
• DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.8b00791

In April 2014, the drinking water source in Flint, Michigan was switched from Lake Huron water with phosphate inhibitors to Flint River water without corrosion inhibitors. The absence of corrosion control and use of a more corrosive source increased lead leaching from plumbing. Our city-wide citizen science water lead results contradicted official claims that there was no problem– our 90th percentile was 26.8 μg/L, which was almost double the Lead and Copper Rule action level of 15 μg/L. Back calculations of a LCR sampling pool with 50% lead pipes indicated an estimated 90th percentile lead value of 31.7 μg/L (±4.3 μg/L). Four subsequent sampling efforts were conducted to track reductions in water lead after the switch back to Lake Huron water and enhanced corrosion control. The incidence of water lead varied by service line material. Between August 2015 and November 2016, median water lead reduced from 3.0 to