Routine monitoring found elevated levels of lead in a portion of 20 sampled properties, including homes and other buildings, in the village of Delhi tested between August and September, according to a lead action level exceedance notice from the village.
Property owners should receive or may have already received the results from testing, the notice stated. The results are specific to each home or building and may be different from the results taken in other locations.
Of the 20 sampled properties, more than 10% of the samples exceeded the action level for lead. A lead action level is “a measure of the effectiveness of the corrosion control treatment in water systems. The action level is not a standard for establishing a safe level of lead in a home,” the notice stated.
Lead from service lines and lead plumbing and fixtures can dissolve or break off into water and end up at the faucet. To check if corrosion control is working, the EPA requires water systems to test for lead at the tap in homes or buildings that are likely to have elevated levels of lead, including those with lead service lines.
“We found that lead service lines and lead in plumbing are potential sources of lead in your drinking water,” the notice stated. “This does not mean that every property that receives drinking water from the village of Delhi water system has lead in the drinking water. It does mean that you should understand how to reduce your exposure to lead through water.”
“We compare sample results from those homes/buildings to (New York state) and federal action level of 0.015 mg/L (15 ppb). If 10 percent of the samples from these homes have water concentrations that are greater than the action level, then the system must perform actions such as public education, adjusting treatment, and lead service line replacement,” the notice stated.
Drinking water is not the only potential source of lead exposure, since lead can be found in air, soil and paint.
Exposure to lead in drinking water can cause serious health effects in all age groups, but especially for pregnant women and young children. Infants and children can have decreases in IQ and attention span. Lead exposure can lead to new learning and behavior problems or exacerbate existing learning and behavior problems. The children of women who are exposed to lead before or during pregnancy can have increased risk of these adverse health effects. Adults can have increased risks of heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney or nervous system problems.
A family doctor or pediatrician can perform a blood test for lead and provide information about the health effects of lead. State, city, or county departments of health also can provide information about how a child’s blood can be tested for lead. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that public health actions be initiated when the level of lead in a child’s blood is 3.5 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL) or more.
What is being done?
The notice stated that the village is following federal and state lead and copper regulations in response to the findings, including additional public education to all customers by Nov. 29.
“The village of Delhi water system balances water chemistry at the treatment plant to minimize pipe and plumbing components from corroding and leading to the possibility of lead dissolving into water,” the notice stated. “This process is known as corrosion control. We are completing an assessment of the corrosion control treatment currently used by our water system.”
Removal of the lead service lines, which is a common source of lead in drinking water, will be completed by the end of 2028, the the notice stated. The village also is conducting additional lead and/or water quality monitoring of the water system supply and increasing its lead monitoring to determine the extent of the situation.
Call the village at 607-746-2258 or visit https://villageofdelhiny.gov.
For more information on lead in drinking water, contact your local health department at 607-432-3911 or odo@health.ny.gov, or the state Department of Health directly by calling the toll-free number (within New York State) 1-800-458-1158, extension 27650, or out of state at 518-402-7650, or by email at bpwsp@health.ny.gov.