DPW responds to residents' worries

By Sarah M. Corigliano

Assistant Managing Editor

EAST LONGMEADOW The Department of Public Works has been receiving phone calls from concerned East Longmeadow residents since its announcement late last year that, while the water the town delivers to residents is lead-free, some residential water testing showed the presence of lead.

According to Sean Kelly, senior project manager for the East Longmeadow DPW, it's good that people are aware of the risks of lead, especially to infants and children; however, there is no need for panic.

Kelly told The Reminder that there are three main reasons a house would have lead in its water:

1. In older houses, there can be a heavy concentrate of lead solder on joints and pipes when the water heats up, the lead leeches into the water. He also said, over time, this has been less of a problem since materials tend to collect on the interior of the pipes holding the lead from leeching into the water.

2. Warm or stagnant water (sitting for six hours or more) can collect lead from pipes/solder.

3. A bad electrical ground can cause the presence of lead in water.

Another possible contributor, in few cases, is the faucet, Kelly said. He explained that faucets made outside of the U.S. are harder to test for compliance and may use more than the legal percentage of lead in their manufacturing.

Kelly said the water tests which showed the presence of lead were conducted at 15 sites in town last year, with six houses showing an "action level" of lead, which the Environmental Protection Agency sets at 15 parts per billion (ppb).

This level, he said, is not a public health risk, but, as the department which is "responsible for the quality of water that comes out [of people's faucets]," Kelly said the DPW is required to institute corrosion control treatments and to educate the public about lead in drinking water.

Since 1993, Kelly said, Springfield (from which East Longmeadow purchases its drinking water) has added corrosion control treatment to its water. The substance is food grade but protects pipes from corroding and depositing lead into the water, he said.

In addition to this precaution, a brochure about lead safety has been sent to all East Longmeadow homes, recommending that homeowners cook starting with cold water and that they flush their cold water for 15 to 20 seconds before using it for cooking or drinking.

"That's become a habit of mine," Kelly said. "Consciously, I let it run for 15 seconds before making oatmeal for my kids." Kelly also announced that the DPW seeks 50 homeowners to volunteer to test their water (the DPW is not allowed to conduct the testing) over a set period of time. He said there are specific dates during which the houses should have been built, but he has a list in his office to clarify if a homeowner is eligible. He is looking mostly for houses built between 1983 and 1985.

While it is not a major time commitment or scheduling burden, there are set times for testing and strict guidelines to follow to insure proper testing.

Anyone who would like to know more about the testing or who would like to volunteer or find out their eligibility to volunteer are asked to call Sean Kelly at 525-5400, ext. 133 or they may stop in at the DPW office at Town Hall. Volunteers are needed as soon as possible, as the DPW plans to begin testing by the end of March.

Copies of the lead safety brochure are also available in the DPW office and can be picked up there or residents may call and ask to have one mailed to them.