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Newsroom
This page contains press releases and audio files regarding lead in drinking water in the District of Columbia. Please check back often for updates and additional information.
Press Releases
- EPA Cites WASA for Errors in Reporting Lead Sampling Data (8/23/06)
- EPA to Strengthen Protection from Lead in Drinking Water (03/07/05)
- DC lead levels improve, continue to exceed federal levels (01/19/05)
- DC-wide orthophosphate treatment to start in August (08/05/04) EPA has approved the system-wide use of orthophosphates as the next step in preventing lead from leaching into Washington, D.C. drinking water. The decision comes two months after EPA and technical experts from the Washington Aqueduct and the district Water and Sewer Authority (WASA) began adding orthophosphates to a limited part of Washington's water supply to eliminate lead corrosion. Frequent sampling since the orthophosphate trial began have found no adverse results. Public meetings will be held in southeast DC and at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Library later this month. more...
- DC Dept. of Health Press Release: "DC Dept. of Health offers free blood lead screening at 29 District schools with elevated lead levels".
- Public
meetings scheduled to explain corrosion control plan to reduce lead
in D.C. water (04/22/04)
- EPA Seeks More Information For WASA Compliance As part of a Lead and Copper Rule compliance review, EPA sent two letters on March 31, 2004 to WASA to identify potential areas of violation; this also gives WASA an opportunity to inform EPA if it believes it has not violated these federal requirements under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). This is a commonly used compliance and enforcement tool. One letter identifies suspected violations, and the other letter conveys a detailed request for information. EPA's request under Section 1445 of the SDWA ensures that EPA considers all relevant information in determining whether any violations may have occurred. After EPA receives the requested information, the agency will determine if violations have occurred, and may direct WASA to correct any violations and take appropriate action to ensure future compliance. (03/31/04)
- EPA
expands website for lead in Washington, D.C. water (03/24/04)
- EPA
to WASA: Redraw lead samples from 2004 (03/16/04)
- WASA
agrees to implement interim plan for lead; Multi-agency corrosion team
presents EPA with strategy (03/10/04)
- EPA updates consumer advisory fact sheet on website regarding lead in Washington, D.C. water (02/12/04)
Audio Releases
- Advisory information about flushing (03/18/04)
- Advisory information on filter use (04/05/04)
- Advisory
information on blood lead level screening (04/19/04)
A series of audio statements from 13 to 55 seconds long, in English and Spanish, advising concerned consumers to flush their water systems.
