Michigan is warning residents that local water systems may soon be reporting higher lead levels as part of their annual water quality assessments.
Officials say it’s not because lead is increasing in drinking water - but because the states testing requirements are now more stringent.
Starting this year the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), instituted a new method for testing lead levels in drinking water systems.
The new requirement is that the fifth and first liter out of a faucet is what water systems must test. Originally the state required only the first liter out of a water system be tested.
Eric Oswald with EGLE said the fifth liter is usually the water that has been in contact with lead service lines.
“We anticipate that that’s going to be higher in lead content compared to what you get from the first draw just out of the faucet under certain circumstances.”
Oswald said the new testing procedure is more accurate.
“I don’t want people getting excited because the numbers are going up. It’s not because the water is any worse or because their systems aren’t doing a good. It’s because we’re becoming more stringent with how we’re doing these tests and we truly are identifying the area of highest risk.”
Currently the state requires water suppliers to remove lead service lines at a rate of 5% per year. The expectation is that within 20 years there will be no lead service lines anywhere in the state.
Suppliers that exceed actionable lead levels will have to remove lines at a rate of 7% per year.
Some Detroit area water providers sued in December over the new line removal requirements, saying they are too costly and possibly unconstitutional. That case is still ongoing.