Tuesday, September 17, 2024
Water testing on City of Granbury drinking water conducted in March revealed elevated levels of lead in some samples. Although most samples had lead levels below the Environmental Protection Agency action level of 15 parts per billion, some were above that level.
The elevated levels are not a violation under federal or state law, but city officials want to make residents aware.
Though the samples were taken in March, the lab did not report results to the city until July. When the city received the report, it notified the state.
The greatest risk of lead exposure is to infants, young children and pregnant women. Lead in drinking water, although rarely the sole cause of lead poisoning, can significantly increase a person's total lead exposure, particularly in infants who drink baby formulas and concentrated juices that are mixed with water.
Lead enters drinking water primarily as a result of the corrosion or the wearing away of materials containing lead in the water distribution system and household plumbing, such as solder used to join copper pipe, brass and chrome plated brass faucets.
In 1986, Congress banned the use of lead solder containing greater than 0.2% lead, and in 2011 restricted the lead content of faucets and pipes to 0.25%.
Residents who use city water can run water to flush out lead. If the cold water tap has not been used for several hours, run it until the temperature is noticeably colder. This flushes lead-containing water from the pipes.
The water is safe to use on plants and lawns. The lead does not harm by going through skin via bathing — only by drinking large quantities of water with high lead levels. Residents cannot get lead from their neighbors’ pipes.
Boiling the water will not remove the lead. Samples are collected on a regular basis. Results of the water samples taken at the end of July and the beginning of August should be available by the end of September.
Please call the City of Granbury at 817-573-7030 with questions.
