The latest round of testing shows a dramatic drop in lead in Flint’s drinking water.
Scott Dean, a spokesperson for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, said the testing showed 90% of homes sampled had, at most, one part per billion of lead in the water. That’s a big improvement over testing six months ago showing that rate at 10 parts per billion.
Of the 64 homes tested, “51 came back non-detect for lead, 11 were less than five parts per billion, and the highest was 13 parts per billion in one residence — and that is even below the 15 part-per-billion standard," Dean said.
“This latest data shows that the corrosion control is really taking hold and working well," he said.
But the decline is also likely linked to a change in what properties are being tested. The latest round of testing did not include what are called "tier two" sites. Those are usually non-residential sites where limited water uses tends to result in higher levels of lead.
A decade ago, improperly treated drinking water exposed Flint residents to astronomically high levels of lead.
There is no known safe level of exposure to lead.
