Uh-oh, looks like Flint, Michigan may not be the only city battling against lead in their water supply.
The Environmental Protection Agency tested 29 Chicago homes last September and October in a new wave of water testing where half of them possessed at least one sample containing more than 15 parts per billion of lead. According to the Chicago Tribune, found levels would require regulatory action if detected during routine screening. In the homes tested (which all belonged to federal employees) lead levels ranged from as high as 36.7 ppb and as low as 1.5.
The Windy City has passed its tests for the past 20 years, based on industry testing: only the first liter of water from a homeowner’s faucets were checked and action was only taken if more than 10 percent of tested homes exceed 15 ppb. In a statement, a Chicago Department of Water Management representative promised, “Chicago water is safe and meets or exceeds all standards.”
See Also: Timbaland Refused To Perform At Flint Charity Show Due To Champagne Mix-Up?
Chicago, the nation’s third largest city with nearly 3 million residents, isn’t the only metropolis that raised eyebrows in their water supply.
Cincinnati Councilman Christopher Smitherman requested last week the water delivered to 16,000 residents be tested because it may run through lead pipes, after learning the existence of lead pipes in the system, according to Cincinnati.com.
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