News Release No. 347

MISSOURI DRINKING WATER MEETS LEAD REQUIREMENTS

Volume 32-347

Contact: Susan Bloomer

(For immediate release)

573-526-1825

JEFFERSON CITY, MO OCT. 27, 2004 - Missouri drinking water does not contain the high levels of lead found in some other areas of the country, according to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources' Water Protection Program.

A recent Washington Post report alleged that many of the nation's largest drinking water utilities have tried to hide contamination and failed to correct problems. "That is not the case here in Missouri," says Darrell Osterhoudt, chief of the department's Public Drinking Water Branch. "We review the results of every lead test and ensure any problem is quickly resolved."

Lead is seldom found in drinking water sources, such as groundwater, lakes and rivers. Typically, the source of lead in drinking water is lead pipes and solder in household plumbing. The most common cause is corrosion from water containing dissolved oxygen, low pH and low mineral content. "We are fortunate that the water in Missouri is naturally non-corrosive," said Osterhoudt.

Lead solder used to hold copper pipes together was banned in the 1980s because it can leach into the water. The lead-free solder available now does not contribute lead to household water supplies.

Regulations require water supplies to initially collect samples twice a year from households most at risk for lead contamination, such as those with lead pipes, lead service lines or lead solder. If a system does not service any homes with lead pipes or solder, they are allowed to collect samples at homes with brass faucets containing lead alloys.

If the sample test results exceed the action level of 15 parts-per-billion in more than 10 percent of the homes tested, the supplier must test the source water for lead and conduct a public education program on reducing the impact of lead in the drinking water. The water system must also either install corrosion control treatment or do corrosion studies to determine and implement the best method of correcting the corrosive water problem.

According to the department's Annual Compliance Report, in 2003 less than one percent of Missouri's public water systems failed to meet initial lead and copper testing requirements. The department has taken action to ensure those systems are working to bring themselves back into compliance.

"We work very closely with water systems to make sure they know what is expected of them," said Osterhoudt. "We do everything we can to ensure there are minimal lead levels in Missouri's drinking water."

Public water supply customers can find out the results of their system's most recent lead test by reading the Consumer Confidence Report that systems publish each year by July 1. For a listing of systems that have their report posted on the Web, visit the department's Web page at www.dnr.mo.gov/env/wpp/pub/dw-ccr.htm.

For more information, call the Department of Natural Resources' Water Protection Program at 800-361-4827 or 573-751-5331.

For news releases on the Web, visit www.dnr.mo.gov/newsrel. For a complete listing of the department's upcoming meetings, hearings and events, visit the department's online calendar at www.dnr.mo.gov/calendar/search.do.

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