Syracuse reports dangerously high lead levels in drinking water
(UI) - According to new data, Syracuse’s drinking water showed lead levels higher than Flint, Michigan and Newark, New Jersey, as originally reported by Public News Service. Comments by Erik D. Olson, senior strategic director for health at the Natural Resources Council, emphasized the danger aging pipe infrastructure poses to the public. Current data from tests conducted by the city indicate lead levels of 70 parts per billion, affecting more than 14,000 homes that contain lead pipes.
Immediate efforts to address the issue, per Olsen, involve informing residents of the available data and evaluating additional components of the water treatment system, as well as implementing legislation to streamline homeowner approval for pipe replacement. Given the estimated $98 million price tag for replacing all lead pipes, the city looks to take advantage of the recent $15 billion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allocation for just that purpose.
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