https://www.americancityandcounty.com/wp-content/themes/acc_child/assets/images/logo/footer-logo.png
Banking Technology
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Expert Insights
    • Back
    • Expert Insights
    • Commentaries
    • Smart Cities Council
    • Co-op Solutions
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Resources
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • American City & County Awards
    • Events
    • Municipal Cost Index – Archive
  • Magazine
    • Back
    • Digital Editions
    • Reprints & Reuse
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Privacy Statement
    • Terms of Service
  • Administration
  • Economy & Finance
  • Procurement
  • Public Safety
  • Public Works & Utilities
  • Smart Cities & Technology
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Expert Insights
    • Back
    • Commentaries
    • Smart Cities Council
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • American City & County Awards
    • Events
    • Municipal Cost Index
  • Magazine
    • Back
    • Digital Editions
    • Reprints & Reuse
    • Subscribe to AC&C
    • Manage AC&C Subscription
    • Subscribe to GovPro
    • Manage GovPro Subscription
    • Advertise
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Cookie Policy
    • Privacy Stament
    • Terms of Service
  • newsletter
  • Administration
  • Economy & Finance
  • Procurement
  • Public Safety
  • Public Works & Utilities
  • Smart Cities & Technology
acc.com

Public Works & Utilities


Article

Tacoma, Wash. plagued by high lead levels in water supply

Tacoma, Wash. plagued by high lead levels in water supply

Year-old reports of Tacoma, Wash. schools with high lead levels in their water have yielded warnings for 11 schools, while new tests revealed that up to 1,700 Tacoma households could be affected by high lead levels in their water.
  • Written by Jason Axelrod
  • 28th April 2016

Year-old reports of Tacoma, Wash. schools with high lead levels in their water have yielded warnings for 11 facilities, while new tests revealed that up to 1,700 Tacoma households could be affected by high lead levels in their water. 

Although the school tests were conducted over a year ago, they were not reviewed until April 22 of this year, KIRO 7 reports. Some of the water contained higher lead levels than those found in the now imfamous Flint, Mich. water supply. 

"At this time, it does not appear that any steps were taken [a year ago] to correct the problems at those locations. The vast majority of water at those locations showed no problems," a post on the Tacoma School District web site said, as quoted by Kiro 7.

The levels of lead found in the affected Tacoma homes' water was 25 times higher than the Environmental Protection Agency’s threshold, according to Q13 FOX. 

Government officials blame the lead’s presence on “goosenecks,” or short lead pipe sections that were used between 1900 and 1940 to connect customers’ water service lines to the water main, according to KOMO News and Tacoma Public Utilities. Goosenecks offered flexible connections between rigid piping.

While Tacoma Water estimates that it’s removed 30,000 goosenecks in replacing old connections, finding the rest of the underground goosenecks may prove difficult.

“Although we believe we have removed the vast majority of these lead goosenecks, there are still hundreds of old service connections from this timeframe for which we do not have information,” a post on Tacoma Public Utilities’ website states. “When these lines were installed, details of where lead goosenecks were installed were not recorded.”

Mike Means, the acting director of the Washington Department of Health’s Office of Drinking Water, told KPLU that running tap water for two minutes can yield safe water in Tacoma, since that will allow lead-free water from the mains to flow through the tap.

News agencies across Washington report that other cities like Seattle and Everett are testing their water supplies for lead. 

_____________

To get connected and stay up-to-date with similar content from American City & County:
Like us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter
Watch us on Youtube

Tags: News Public Works & Utilities Article

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your American City and County account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

White Papers


Preserve Your Pavement: A Road Map to Data-Driven Budgeting

22nd February 2019

What is Your Plan for Cybersecurity?

5th February 2019

5 Best Practices for Utilizing GIS Data

5th February 2019
view all

Events


Twitter


AmerCityCounty

A new #report ranks the 52 American #metropolitan areas with over 1 million residents based on their… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

14th February 2019
AmerCityCounty

Today, we announced the six winners of American #City & #County's 2018 Crown Communities awards! Congratulations to… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

12th February 2019
AmerCityCounty

The @CityOfNOLA #CityCouncil is calling for the @NFL to review its rules after the @Saints lost the… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

29th January 2019
AmerCityCounty

Is your #city among #UHaul's top 25 #GrowthCities for 2018? buff.ly/2S8hptr https://t.co/rI4x0Lcdql

25th January 2019
AmerCityCounty

The personal information for approximately 1,470 #Knoxville, Tenn. #government employees was inadvertently posted o… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

25th January 2019
AmerCityCounty

““Seconded” staffers, or temporary #procurement professionals at #DallasAreaRapidTransit handle varying heavy workl… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

23rd January 2019
AmerCityCounty

As the longest #GovernmentShutdown in U.S. history continues with no sign of abating, city governments are stepping… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

15th January 2019
AmerCityCounty

Florida Governor @RonDeSantisFL formally suspended #BrowardCounty, Fla. Sheriff Scott Israel on Jan. 11, following… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

15th January 2019

Newsletters

Sign up for American City & County’s newsletters to receive regular news and information updates about local governments.

Expert Insights

Learn from experts in the public and private sectors about best practices and how to optimize your government’s operations.

Municipal Cost Index

Updated monthly since 1978, our exclusive Municipal Cost Index shows the effects of inflation on the cost of providing municipal services

Media Kit and Advertising

Want to reach our digital and print audiences? Learn more here.

American City and County

© American City and County 2019. All rights reserved.

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Cookies Policy
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service

Related Links

  • IWCE’s Urgent Communications
  • IWCE Expo

Follow us

Websites are now required by law to gain your consent before applying cookies. We use cookies to improve your browsing experience. Parts of the website may not work as expected without them. By closing or ignoring this message, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
X