So u t h f i e l d<strong>Living</strong><strong>Spring</strong> / Summer 2011Wat e r Qu a l i t y- 12 -
Wat e rQu a l i t yLeadSince 1992, with the cooperation <strong>of</strong>many <strong>Southfield</strong> residents, DWSDhas been testing homes with plumbingsystems that may contribute lead tothe household water supply. Our latestround <strong>of</strong> testing shows 0 out <strong>of</strong> the 14homes tested has lead levels abovethe action level. If your home has alead service line or piping that haslead soldered joints, you can take thefollowing precautions to minimizeyour exposure to lead that may haveleached into your drinking water fromyour pipes.• Run your water for 30 seconds to2 minutes or until it feels cold. Thispractice should be followed anytimeyour water has not been used for morethan 6 hours.• Always use cold water for drinking,cooking or making baby formula.• Use faucets and plumbing materialthat are either lead free or will not leachunsafe levels <strong>of</strong> lead into your water.If present, elevated levels <strong>of</strong> leadcan cause serious health problems,especially for pregnant women andyoung children. Lead in drinkingwater is primarily from materials andcomponents associated with servicelines and home plumbing. The <strong>City</strong> <strong>of</strong><strong>Southfield</strong> is responsible for providinghigh quality drinking water, but cannotcontrol the variety <strong>of</strong> materials usedin plumbing components. When yourwater has been sitting for several hours,you can minimize the potential forlead exposure by flushing your tap for30 seconds to 2 minutes before usingwater for drinking or cooking. If youare concerned about lead in your water,you may wish to have your water tested.Information on lead in drinking water,testing methods, and steps you can taketo minimize exposure is available from<strong>Spring</strong> / Summer 2011Important Health Informationthe Safe Drinking Water Hotline or atwww.epa.gov/safewater/lead.People With Special HealthConcernsSome people may be more vulnerableto contaminants in drinking water thanis the general population. Immunocompromisedpersons such as personswith cancer undergoing chemotherapy,persons who have undergone organtransplants, people with HIV/AIDS orother immune system disorders, someelderly and infants can be particularlyat risk from infections. These peopleshould seek advice about drinkingwater from their health care providers.EPA/CDC guidelines on appropriatemeans to lessen the risk <strong>of</strong> infection byCryptosporidium and other microbialcontaminants are available from theSafe Drinking Water Hotline at (800)426-4791.CryptosporidiumCryptosporidium is a microbialpathogen found in surface waterthroughout the U.S. Although filtrationremoves Cryptosporidium, the mostcommonly used filtration methodscannot guarantee 100 percent removal.Our monitoring indicates the presence<strong>of</strong> these organisms in our sourcewater. Cryptosporidium was detectedonce, during a twelve-month periodat our Detroit River intake plants.Current test methods do not allowus to determine if the organisms aredead or if they are capable <strong>of</strong> causingdisease. Ingestion <strong>of</strong> Cryptosporidiummay cause Cryptosporidiosis, anabdominal infection. Symptoms <strong>of</strong>infection include nausea, diarrhea,and abdominal cramps. Most healthyindividuals can overcome the diseasewithin a few weeks. However,immuno-compromised people, infants- 13 -So u t h f i e l d<strong>Living</strong>and small children, and the elderlyare at greater risk <strong>of</strong> developing lifethreateningillness. We encourageimmuno-compromised individualsto consult their doctor regardingappropriate precautions to take toavoid infection. Cryptosporidium mustbe ingested to cause disease, and itmay be spread through means otherthan drinking water.Questions?Local Distribution: <strong>City</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Southfield</strong>,Public Works Administration(248) 796-4880Southeastern Oakland County WaterSupply System – Water Authority<strong>of</strong>fices: (248) 288-5150. Visit theirWeb site at www.socwa.org.Detroit Water and SewerageDepartment – Water Quality Divisionat (313) 926-8127.Michigan Department <strong>of</strong> EnvironmentalQuality – Drinking Water andRadiological Protection Division –(586) 753-3755.U.S. Environmental Protection Agency– Safe Drinking Water Hotline: (800)426-4791Water quality data for communitywater systems throughout the UnitedStates is available at: www.waterdata.com.Other MonitoringIn addition to testing we are required toperform, our water system voluntarilytests for hundreds <strong>of</strong> additionalsubstances and microscopic organismsto make certain our water is safe and <strong>of</strong>the highest quality. If you are interestedin a more detailed report, contact theDWSD Water Quality Division at(313) 926-8127.
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