Abstract: With the Flint water crisis in Michigan, people concern more about the lead in the drinking water. Lead is a dangerous water toxin that the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) sets its Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG) to be zero to prevent adverse health effects from lead poisoning. According to USEPA, buildings built before 1986 are likely to contain a lead piping system and drinking water running through those pipes may contain some level of lead. Also, worrisome level of lead was found from drinking water in public schools from US states (e.g. New York) due to the old piping system and insufficient maintenance on existing drinking water supply systems. A research team from a local Texas university measured lead in the school water fountains based on the facts that some buildings on campus are built before 1986 and year-long hot weather condition may accelerate lead leaching into the water pipelines thus resulting in higher lead level in drinking water. Test results showed that none of the water samples contained lead level greater than 15 ppb (or 15 μg/L), a Maximum Contaminant Level of lead action level in the drinking water set by USEPA. However, lead monitoring at other Texas public schools is warranted to protect Texas young citizens from lead poisoning from the drinking water.
Keywords: Lead in drinking water, old buildings, Texas public schools, water supply pipes.
Title: Lead in Drinking Water at a South Texas University
Author: Alejandro Pena Silva, Gerardo Flores, Adam Flores, Jongmin Kim
International Journal of Civil and Structural Engineering Research
ISSN 2348-7607 (Online)
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