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Eastpointe residents line up at a walk-in station set up at the Department of Public Works to get water filters. The wait time was much shorter for those who chose the walk-in station rather than the drive-thru stations.
Photo by Patricia O’Blenes
Katie Paratore, a public health emergency preparedness specialist with the Macomb County Health Department, delivers filters to an Eastpointe resident at a drive-thru distribution station.
Photo by Patricia O’Blenes
EASTPOINTE — The city of Eastpointe is working with county and state offices to assist residents after a survey of 30 homes found lead levels in drinking water in five of the homes exceeded the state’s action level.
Recently, water samples were collected from 30 homes with known lead service lines. An evaluation of lead and copper in the samples found that the lead 90th percentile of the city’s water supply contains 18 parts per billion, which is higher than the department’s action level of 15 ppb. The 90th percentile means that 90% of the data points are smaller than 18 ppb, and 10% are bigger.
“This does not mean that every customer has elevated lead levels,” the city stated in a public advisory. “An Action Level exceedance means that more than 10% of the samples tested have elevated lead levels.”
While the action level is not a health-based standard, it does require that additional actions must be undertaken, which can include increasing the investigative sampling of water quality and educational outreach to customers to comply with the Michigan Safe Drinking Water Act.
According to Eastpointe City Manager Mariah Walton, the city has identified 1,313 lead water lines. Of those, 244 have been replaced since 2020, she said.
Michigan’s Lead and Copper Rule requires communities to replace an average of 5% of its total lead service lines per year.
“We’re replacing at 10%-18% of lead lines each year, which is above the 5% requirement,” Walton said in an email.
To begin the public education process, the city has launched a website featuring information and links to lead-specific resources, which can be found at cityofeast pointe.net/community/eastpointe leadsafe.php. There is a form at the website to check whether a resident’s home has a lead service line.
Additionally, the city has partnered with the Macomb County Health Department to take preventive action to help reduce the amount of lead in the water while also keeping residents safe. On Oct. 19, the city handed out free filters at a drive-thru distribution event at the city’s Department of Public Works.
On Oct. 26, the city is hosting an open house and filter distribution from 5 to 8 p.m. at Eastpointe City Hall, 23200 Gratiot Ave.
Water filters are also available for pickup 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays at Eastpointe City Hall and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays at the DPW, 17750 E. 10 Mile Road. To schedule a special pickup time, call (586) 204-3032.
Residents with questions about water testing or lead service lines can contact the city’s Department of Public Works at (586) 445-3661, ext. 5. For health-related questions, residents can contact the Macomb County Health Department Public Health Nursing program at (586) 469-5520.
Eastpointe Lead Safe Open House
• Get questions answered one-on-one with officials.
• 5-8 p.m. Oct. 26.
• Eastpointe City Hall, 23200 Gratiot Ave.
