Despite Reports to Contrary, No Lead in Eastsound Drinking Water

— from Paul Kamin, EWUA —

On March 17 USA TODAY published a story on the ongoing concerns about lead in drinking water. KING 5 picked up on the USA TODAY story and did their own local follow up. These are important stories. Lead is absolutely a potential health risk.

Eastsound Water is not in violation of any “lead in drinking water” standards. Back on February 2, when the Flint Michigan Drinking Water lead contamination became national news, EWUA emailed our most recent independent laboratory test results to all our members, and local press.

Unfortunately both the USA TODAY and KING 5 articles ERRONEOUSLY reported that a number of water systems had lead rule violations when in reality they did not. Eastsound Water was one of the Washington water systems that was INCORRECTLY reported to have exceeded the lead standards.

The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) sets federal guidelines for the lead testing in potable water supplies. The State Department of Health (DOH) is responsible for regulating Washington’s water systems.

Clark Halvorson, Assistant Secretary for Environmental Public Health at the Washington State Department of Health has issued a review of the local water systems that USATODAY reported as having lead violations. Specific to Eastsound Water his report stated “System ID #22170 East Sound Water Users Assoc. – We (DOH) have no record of a lead AL (action level) exceedance in the 2012 to present time period stated in the article. (Eastsound Waters) sampling’s 90th (percentile result) have been below the lead AL since 2002”

I have spoken with Steve Deem, the Department of Health regional engineer responsible for San Juan County water systems. Mr. Deem has confirmed that EWUA has and is meeting all lead rule reporting and compliance requirements.

Lead is seldom found in samples taken from actual water sources, such as EWUA’s wells and Purdue Reservoir. Lead most commonly enters the drinking water supply from contact with lead pipes, and the lead-based solder used in joining copper pipes inside individual homes. The use of lead pipes in Washington is extremely rare. EWUA knows of NO lead pipes in our water system. Federal Law prohibited lead in solder back in 1986.

Eastsound Water will compile a file of 10 years of Lead and Copper Rule (these two metals are tested on the same schedule) test results and have this material available for inspection in our office if you’d like to review it.

[Editor’s Note: Links to original USA TODAY story and KING5 story.]