By Robert Miranda
Milwaukee – As city officials grapple with concerns on how to remove over 80,000 residential lead water laterals, one near Southside organization is taking the initiative to ensure safe, clean and healthy drinking water to its students.
The Spanish Journal contacted United Community Center Chief Executive, Ricardo Diaz and asked him if any precautions were being taken by the United Community Center regarding lead water lateral contamination.
Lead typically gets into drinking water only after it leaves the water treatment plant, it is difficult to monitor. In fact, It is impossible to say how common or significant exposures to lead are because contamination that occurs within the distribution system isn’t monitored. Water coming through your tap that has flowed through a lead lateral is generally considered by experts, such as Virginia Tech University science professor Marc Edwards, as tainted water.
Lead in water is an underappreciated source of lead intake. According to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) , on average drinking water makes up about 20% of children’s exposure to lead. Although paint and dust are the most common causes of elevated blood lead in children, in some cases tap water can be a primary source of exposure.
Diaz said that the United Community Center had contacted city officials to check on the status of water lateral pipes connecting from the city water mains to inside UCC buildings this past January.
“The city informed UCC that there are no lead laterals connecting from the city mains to our buildings”, said Diaz. “We are currently initiating efforts to have our fixtures inside the building looked at to determine which if any are made of lead”.
Diaz went on to say that UCC schools are chartered under the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee charter school program and that UCC is currently working with UW-M to help with addressing any concerns that may arise from the internal review of water fixtures of UCC buildings.
Asked if any further precautions are being taken to protect the students, Diaz stated that UCC will be coordinating with city officials regarding testing of their water and that UCC nursing staff are monitoring the blood lead levels of their students.
“If any student (s) show any sign of high lead levels in his or her blood, the nurse at our our facility will take the appropriate necessary actions needed to protect the student”, said Diaz. “We have an outstanding nurse center for our students so I’m confident our students are being taken care of”, continued Diaz.
