Monday, August 14, 2017

Lead Task Force in Pennsylvania

Senate Approves Resolution Creating Task Force to Investigate Threat of Lead Exposure in Pennsylvania

Senator John T. Yudichak recently announced that Senate Resolution 33 — which creates a bipartisan task force to investigate the scope of Pennsylvania’s lead exposure problem — was approved unanimously by the full Senate. The resolution had been approved unanimously by the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee at the end of April.
Senator Yudichak introduced the resolution earlier this session because lead exposure can threaten the health and well-being of every Pennsylvanian—especially senior citizens and children. “The task force report will advance cooperative efforts to arm the General Assembly with better information and best practice recommendations to develop new lead abatement programs that more aggressively mitigate lead exposure in Pennsylvania,” said State Senator John Yudichak.
The resolution calls for the Senate to establish a task force on lead exposure comprised of the chairs of the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and the Health and Human Services Committee and two members appointed by the Senate President pro tempore and the Minority Leader. An advisory committee of the Joint State Government Commission will conduct a comprehensive review of Pennsylvania law and public policy related to lead exposure and abatement practices and then submit a report to the task force and full Senate within 18-months. The report must assess the age of housing and infrastructure, lead exposure threats, and identify the prevalence of lead in structures where children spend significant time.

A few key points
  1. This is not just a drinking water issue.  Lead is present in many homes and sources include old lead paint, cookware, make-up, and other consumer products.
  2. If on city water, check piping in home for lead pipe and evidence of corrosion.  Remove the aeration devices and clean and flush the water lines to remove any films and coatings.
  3. If on city water - read the Consumer Confident Reports generated by water supplier and look for signs of corrosion.
  4. If on well water - get your water tested.
  5. Use are free phone App - Know Your H20 - Android / Google ;  Apple

Well Water Safety

Well Water Safety
If your water comes from a private well, you know that the safety of your drinking water is up to you.  At the federal level and in most states there are no regulations that govern private wells, but the CDC and EPA does recommend that you test your well water at least once a year. You may want to check the quality of your water more often if there are known problems with wells in your area or if you have experienced any flooding or land disturbances near your well.  Indications of a change in water quality include cloudiness, odor, and unusual taste.
You can quickly and easily test your well water for a variety of contaminants with TestAssured’s Well Water Testing Kit.  This kit is a great screening test to help you determine the quality of your water.
This single kit includes all of the following water tests:
  • Chlorine
  • Copper
  • Nitrates & Nitrites
  • Iron
  • Alkalinity
  • pH
  • Hardness
  • Bacteria
Specially designed for people on well water, the Well Water Testing Kit includes 8 tests for a complete water analysis.  You’ll be able to identify the presence of chemicals, metals, and even bacteria like E. coli.
These easy to use tests will give you results within 10 minutes, with the exception of the bacteria test which takes 48 hours for full results.   There’s no need for expensive equipment or to mail samples to a lab.  Each test is calibrated to the EPA standards.  Once you have your results, compare them to the EPA recommendations and guidelines for water quality limits.

Please review and share some of our PSAs on Well Water.
Get our Educational Booklet on Drinking Water Quality for Private Well Owners.
Corrosion Index, LSI, Hardness and Alkalinity - Do you have a pro