Aurora issued a warning Tuesday after officials reported finding “elevated” lead levels in the drinking water of some city homes.
The city is advising residents to use filters for tap water and get children tested for lead exposure, though they are specifying the levels represent “lead found in specific qualified homes that participate in the sampling program,” and not the entire city.
Residents whose homes tested positive were contacted and the city has published a map of impacted service lines, it said in the alert.
The notice, released Tuesday, said lead service lines were to blame, and that between January and June of this year the city’s Water Protection Division had found more than 10% of the 100 samples collected exceeded the “action level for lead” set by the Environmental Protection Agency.
The readings trigger the city to be responsible for “public education, adjusting treatment and lead service line replacement.”
“The lead action level is a measure of the effectiveness of corrosion control treatment in water systems,” the city said. “The action level is not a standard for establishing a safe level of lead in a home. … [and] this does not mean that every property that receives drinking water from the City of Aurora’s Water Production Division has lead in the drinking water.”
Lead is especially harmful to children with developing brains and can cause a number of serious health conditions in adults. Lead can damage the brain and nervous system, as well as cause slowed growth and developmental, behavioral and learning difficulties, according to the Illinois Department of Health.
Last year, about 180 ZIP codes across 47 counties, or roughly 13% of the state, were added to a state health department list that requires children be tested for lead exposure.
“Exposure to lead in drinking water can cause serious health effects in all age groups,” the city warning said.
Filters rated to remove lead, labeled NSF/ANSI Standard 53, and particulates, labeled NSF/ANSI Standard 42, can help reduce exposure, according to the state health department. Residents can also get their water tested and clean their sink screens, among other preventive measures, though boiling water does not remove lead.