Clarion Ledger, MCIR investigation for lead in Jackson water reveals broader issues.
The Clarion Ledger and MCIR collected samples from faucets at 17 locations throughout Jackson, including residences, businesses, schools and restaurants as well as the state Capitol. MCIR
By Ross Reily, Clarion Ledger, and Jerry Mitchell, MCIR
Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba said that extensive testing of Jackson's beleaguered water system revealed a tiny portion of the city had lead in its water, but smaller-scale independent testing by the Clarion Ledger and the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting suggests that elevated lead results could be more widespread.
At a news conference Wednesday, Lumumba said 16 of the nearly 24,000 water meters installed in the city so far were found to have some lead, whether that be on the city’s side of the meter or the customer’s. That is less than .07%. The city did not say what level of lead constituted a positive result.
The Clarion Ledger and MCIR collected samples from faucets at 17 locations throughout Jackson, including residences, businesses, schools and restaurants as well as the state Capitol. The Clarion Ledger commissioned and paid by Waypoint Analytical in Ridgeland for testing independent of the city or state, finding low levels of lead in the water in seven of those locations:
Jackson State University: 5.79
Forest Hill High School: 2.14
State Capitol: 1.87
The Clarion-Ledger: .82.
Residence, Red Oak Drive: .727
Walker’s Drive-In: .724
Residence, Normandy Drive: .614
The results, which do not constitute scientific testing. met allowable government standards for safe drinking.
Cris Surbeck, chair and professor of civil engineering at the University of Mississippi, told the Clarion Ledger, “At 15 (parts per billion), there is no legal reason to take action. That water would legally be declared safe to drink.
“It’s just that the health recommendation is to have no lead in the water. So, individually, people can decide to drink that water or put in a filter to remove the lead or something along those lines. So, there are measures that can be taken on an individual level.”
EPA wants the level of lead to fall to zero in drinking water because it can “bioaccumulate in the body over time.”
Even low levels of lead in children’s blood can lead to slowed growth, lower IQ, behavior and learning problems, according to the EPA. In rare cases, ingestion of lead can cause seizures, coma and even death.
This round of independent testing was solely for lead. The presence of lead and other contaminants in Jackson's water has led to multiple lawsuits against the city, state and Mississippi State Health Department, including most recently a class action lawsuit.
Regarding the lead the city discovered, Lumumba said at the news conference that the city “will be providing support in replacing all of those lines, and we will also be providing filtration systems for all of those residents, regardless of which side of the meter the lead was found.”.
Last week, reporters from the CL and MCIR spread out throughout the city to collect the water samples that were turned into Waypoint on Sept. 22.
The city was informed of the Clarion Ledger and MCIR’s results late Wednesday afternoon and released a statement Thursday morning to the CL.
"We appreciate this level of investigative reporting to help us better identify any potential threats to our residents. We believe there is a significant possibility that older homes across Jackson, as is the case across the nation, have the existence of lead piping," Lumumba said in an email response.
"We stand prepared to do anything possible to protect residents through the continued investment in our water processes. We are also working to remediate any discovered lead piping in the city of Jackson’s distribution lines and service laterals."
JSU also responded to the news organizations' findings. In a statement sent to the Clarion Ledger, the university said the report “re-emphasizes the urgent need for an overhaul to the city’s aging infrastructure and we remain committed to being a part of the solution to help Jackson make the necessary changes …. Bottled water will continue to be available for the campus community and our student residents.",
Jackson Public Schools said its water fountains have been offline for one to two years and precautions are taken in meal prep,
Derek Emerson, owner of Walker’s Drive-In on State Street in Jackson, said the lead discovered in its water has to be from city pipes because his reestaurant’s pipes have been replaced with PVC pipes.
This report was produced in partnership with the Community Foundation for Mississippi’s local news collaborative, which is independently funded in part by Microsoft Corp. The collaborative includes the Clarion Ledger, the Jackson Advocate, Jackson State University, Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting, Mississippi Public Broadcasting and Mississippi Today.