Contaminated Lead Water The Effects in Newark

The Effects of Contaminated Lead Water in Newark
Abstract
In recent times, there has been a consistent public outcry on continuous leaching of a significant amount of lead into Newark’s water system. However, the local municipal officials have been refuting the claims despite the fact that more than ten percent of water samples collected in 2018 were found with more than 15.8 parts per billion higher than federal lead limit of 15.0 parts per billion. It is also established that Newark’s officials have not been conducting lead and copper rule sampling as required of them, thus failing to identify high content of lead in drinking water. As a result, state department of environmental protection gave an alarm to Newark officials for exceeding the federal limits of lead in drinking water.
This paper therefore, will therefore focus on establishing the effects of Lead contaminated drinking water in Newark to the residents particularly the young children and pregnant women. We shall also check on the current efforts to mitigate the situation, including how bill A676 environment-water supply is vital for this course.
Introduction
According to state released figures, the levels of lead in drinking water in Newark have never been as high as they are now in 17 years. This could be due to Lead’s unique properties like malleability, softness, resistance to corrosion, poor conductibility, and ductility make it hard for industrialists to give up the use of lead. Industrialists use lead in various processes including in the making of pipes, fuels, and lead paints. Despite its usefulness, lead is very harmful to the environment and humans (Sol, 2019). Further, because lead is non-biodegradable, when it is released into the environment, it accumulates over time thus increasing the hazards its negative effects has on the environment (Wani et al. 2015). When it makes its way into the body either through drinking water or contact, lead negatively affects nearly all the parts of the body. Thus, the high level of lead in drinking water in Newark has elicited strong reactions from local residents and organizations. One of the organizations that have been battling this issue is The National Resources Defense Council (NRDC). NRDC together with Newark Education Workers Caucus (NEW Caucus) has filed a lawsuit against the city (Sol, 2019). Unfortunately, the local municipal officials have been refuting the claims despite the fact that more than ten percent of water samples collected in 2018 were found with more than 15.8 parts per billion higher than federal lead limit of 15.0 parts per billion. (Muoio & Sam 2018)
Causes of Lead Contaminated Water in Newark
Municipal officials say that while Newark owns the water mains, it does not own or control the service lines that connect Newark homes to the city water supply. The lead in the water is from the dissolution of lead in the pipes. Since the leaching is from the pipes that the city doesn’t own, Newark has been pushing the message that it is not responsible for the lead situation. Further, given the fact that private enterprises own the pipes, any proposed measures to correct problems arising because of bad pipes requires a lot of cooperative compromise on the part of private citizens and the state. (Sol, 2019). Moreover, the effort of the city lowers the level of PH in water since 2012 in order to control the cancer-causing agents could have significantly contributed to more lead leaching through the pipes.
Effects of Contaminated Lead Drinking Water
The most unfortunate situation is that the people who are most at risk from being harmed by lead-saturated drinking water are children and Some of the health effects may not be reversible. Thus, imposing a long-term risk for Newark’s children which is very serious due to lead’s effect on the brain development of children. This vulnerability is due to higher rate at which pregnant mothers and children absorb lead in drinking water relative to how much adults absorb it. Adults will generally absorb only 3 to 10% of an oral dose of water-soluble lead, while children will absorb 40 to 50% (Keifer, 2018).
Therefore, the biggest risk of lead in water in Newark is posed to children. For example, Of the children exposed to lead reconstituted formula, tap water accounts for over 85% of the exposure. Equally, Lead is an abortifacient and has been connected to several fetal deaths and children being born extremely underweight (Layden, 2018). Because of this reality, the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend routine screening of lead levels in blood levels among high-risk populations. Children under Medicaid should go through the test when they turn 1 and when they turn 2 years old. The ages recommended by the CDC are based on the science of child development and the period a person is most vulnerable to lead poisoning from house-based exposure which can come in the form of tap water as is prevalent in Newark or from dust, soil, or peeling paint (Hanna-Attisha et. al 2016).
Moreover, the issue of lead in the water Newark residents use is almost unavoidable. For example, a story is reported of the family of John, his wife, Ms. Feinberg, and their son, Theo. Where, having stayed in Newark up to 2016, the lead level in Theo’s blood was noted at 6.6 micrograms per deciliter. Theo was 5 years old and the CDC recommends that lead levels for children aged 5 shouldn’t exceed 5 micrograms per deciliter. This alarmed the family and they stopped consuming tap water. Theo’s lead blood levels were tested 3 months later after moving out of Newark to the Neighborhood, and the lead levels had halved. This brought relief to the family but Theo would later be diagnosed with ADHD and autism. Though, the family believes the lead levels were not the primary causes of these conditions, they worsened the symptoms for Theo (Sol, 2019).
Subsequently, there is an increased disproportionate occurrence of anemic conditions amongst the residents drinking water supplied by the municipal in Newark. This increase in anemic conditions is because lead hampers the activity of delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase which is an enzyme that helps in heme biosynthesis. Heme is the cofactor present in the hemoglobin. Lead interference has been shown to spur the buildup of heme precursors like aminolevulinic acid (Wani et al, 2015).
Mitigations to Lead Contaminated water
As a measure to combat the lead problem in Newark, the city is now providing its residents with free lead testing services. This has helped more people become aware of their level of exposure to the problem and take action to limit adverse effects. The program also covers the provision of free filters that have been taken up by thousands of Newark households since it was launched on Oct. 12, 2018. The greatest benefit of this program is that it has raised awareness on the lead problem and given the city a bigger sample size to work with when collecting data about its lead problem (Keifer, 2018).
Also, since the city gives free tests to anyone who suspects their service line may be contaminated, the risk of exposure has been reduced as people cut out using the affected water very soon. This has been a very useful tool in helping the city reduce exposure as it corrects new corrosion problems. Newark has also committed to helping property owners find replacements for their contaminated service lines (Sax, 2018).
Besides going for testing, residents of Newark can now call the city to know if their service lines are contaminated. This has been very effective at increasing awareness of where the lead service lines are located. All residents have to do is call a dedicated phone number (973-733-6303). Moreover, the city requires water systems to test their own service lines for copper and lead levels every two years. Prior to 2017, the requirement was that the test be done every three years but it has since been ramped up to every two years. The city uses the federal government’s guidelines on lead levels. For drinking water, the government has an action level of 15 parts per billion for the 90th percentile. This means that action is taken when more than one in ten samples used shows more than normal lead levels. Action, in this case, constitutes doing additional research, making the public aware of the issue, and taking action to solve the cause of the problem. In instances where the cause can’t be solved, the pipes are removed or the water chemistry gets adjusted (Panico, 2019).
In addition, there has been sustained effort by the city to solve the problem of lead contamination. Currently, the state is putting in place more effective corrosion control inhibitors at the treatment plant. The initial application of the chemical at the treatment plan is likely to take six months before it becomes effective and reduces leaching from the pipes. The challenge these efforts face, however, is that the pipes being treated are private property and not state property. Replacing all the pipes takes a lot of cooperation and can take up to 8 years. Democrat representatives Cleopatra Tucker and Eliana Pintor Marin tabled a bill that saw the approval of a $75 million bond program aimed at helping private property owners replace their pipes (Sax, 2018).
Bill A676; environment-water supply
Democrat representatives Mila Jasey, Carol Murphy, and Raj Mukherji funded the A676 environment-water supply bill that pushed for higher learning institutions to carry out periodic tests of their drinking water outlets, while the educational institution, with the help of the DEP, would carry out tests to figure out the exact source of the lead and take action to remedy the situation to ensure the safety of staff, faculty, students, and the public. The measures that must be taken include shutting down the affected water outlet, providing a new source of clean drinking water, installation of a water filter, and repair and replacement of the outlet. The bill directs the DEP, with the help of the Secretary of Higher Education, to provide all institutions of higher learning with technical guidance in the form of a list of certified laboratories with the capacity to carry out the required tests.
Pros and Cons of the bill
One of the merits of the bill for Newark residents is that it would be to mandate different institutions to monitor the lead content in drinking water continuously. This will allow institutions to give appropriate remedies to the government which may replace the lead pipes for Newark residents. Thus, improving the health status of the residents, as well as, lowering funds they spend on medication and treatment (Jasey, 2019).
Moreover, the bill will promote accountability and clarity to the public. For example, when the certified laboratories take the responsibility to monitor the lead content in drinking water, the various results will be posted for public viewing. Hence, it may cease situations where the water supplier agency sometimes refutes claims of the presence of lead content in water.
Furthermore, the bill will equally give the residents an opportunity to get filters whenever they are supplied with lead-contaminated water. This will reduce the number of birthrates with poor brain development as a result of lead intake. Most importantly, the bill will uphold the citizen’s fundamental right to information access related to the lead content in drinking waters for public viewing (Jasey, 2019).
However, the bill may also pose a demerit in a scenario where unauthenticated results are posted by these institutions for public viewing. This may create unnecessary tension and fear amongst those that are directly affected by such findings. Secondly, implementation of the bill may increase financial burden on the government in an instance where the whole water piping system is to be replaced (Jasey, 2019).
Conclusion
Finally, the DEP shall provide any necessary technical information necessary for the institutions to properly carry out the necessary tests. Further, the bill demands that every institution post the results of its tests on its official website within 30 days of the completion of such tests. Information to be posted on the website will include remedial actions the institution is taking or planning to take to correct any elevated lead levels (Jasey, 2019). These guidelines will be very useful in helping Newark reduce its lead contamination problem which has done a lot of harm to the community. Thus, reducing costs spent on healthcare as a result of drinking lead contaminated water.
Recommendation
There is an urgent need for this bill to be fully enforced. Moreover, each test has to be done by a certified laboratory in line with best industry practice as well as the transparency needed for an exercise of such public interest. The United States Environment Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) have guidelines on how such tests should be carried out. The bill requires that if a test reveals the presence of elevated lead levels, the educational institution should move to close off access to the affected outlets and report the results of the test to the DEP (Jasey, 2019).
Furthermore, with enaction of this bill, undoubtedly, the big challenge of Newark residents will be solved by replacing all the lead pipes that aids in contaminating water. Absolutely the cost of replacing the pipes cannot be compared to the lives of our children who form the integral future of this great nation.
References
Hanna-Attisha, M., LaChance, J., Sadler, R. C., & Champney Schnepp, A. (2016). Elevated blood lead levels in children associated with the Flint drinking water crisis: a spatial analysis of risk and public health response. American journal of public health, 106(2), 283-290.( https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/abs/10.2105/AJPH.2015.303003)
Jasey, N. (2019). Assembly Higher Education Hearing (19:00 1/17/2019 A-4866(https://www.billtrack50.com/BillDetail/918815)
Kiefer, E. (2018). Newark Hands Out Thousands Of Lead Water Filters After Lawsuit (https://patch.com/new-jersey/newarknj/newark-hands-out-thousands-lead-water-filters-after-lawsuit)
Leyden, L. (2018). A Water Crisis in Newark Brings New Worries (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/03/nyregion/newark-drinking-water-lead.html)
Muoio D $ Sam S. (2018). Tests revealed high levels of lead in Newark’s water in 2015, study finds. https://www.politico.com/states/new-jersey/story/2018/11/05/tests-revealed-high-levels-of-lead-in-newarks-water-in-2015-study-finds-684184
Panico, R. (2019). Newark Exceeds Lead Levels Again, Receives 3 Other Water Violations (https://www.tapinto.net/towns/newark/articles/newark-exceeds-lead-levels-again-receives-3-other-water-violations)
Sax, S. (2018). HOW NEWARK GOT LEAD IN ITS WATER, AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE REST OF AMERICA. (https://news.vice.com/en_us/article/yw7kyb/how-newark-got-lead-in-its-water-and-what-it-means-for-the-rest-of-america)
Sol, M. W. (2019). The lead in Newark’s drinking water has hit a 'jaw dropping’ high level, tests show (NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) (https://www.nj.com/news/2019/01/the-lead-in-newarks-drinking-water-supply-has-hit-a-jaw-dropping-high-level-tests-show.html)
Wani, A. L., Ara, A., & Usmani, J. A. (2015). Lead toxicity: a review. Interdisciplinary toxicology, 8(2), 55-64 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4961898/