Lead Poisoning Strikes Another U.S. Town

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Agence France-Presse

Lead Poisoning Strikes Another U.S. Town

Jan 26, 2016 09:12 AM ET // by AFP

A lead poisoning scandal has struck a second US town, with schools closed Monday in Sebring, Ohio, and the water treatment plant operator accused of falsifying reports.

Elevated lead levels were detected months ago but local officials failed to warn residents until last week despite pressure from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. Some 8,100 people rely on the Sebring water system.

The agency said it has “reason to suspect that the operator falsified reports” and has asked the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s criminal division for help with the investigation.

. . .

A spokeswoman for the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency said she could not release further details about what types of reports were allegedly falsified or speculate as to why Sebring officials failed to warn the public.

Read more: http://news.discovery.com/human/health/lead-poisoning-strikes-another-us-town-160126.htm

[Judi Lynn]

1. Presidential Candidates Finally Begin to Speak Up on Flint Water Crisis

Presidential Candidates Finally Begin to Speak Up on Flint Water Crisis

by Ally Boguhn, Political and Campaigns Editor, RH Reality Check

January 20, 2016 - 6:17 pm

~ snip ~

Ohio Gov. John Kasich completely backed Snyder’s response to Flint on Tuesday, reportedly pointing out that Snyder had already moved in the National Guard and expressing confidence he “will manage this appropriately.”

http://rhrealitycheck.org/article/2016/01/20/presidential-candidates-finally-begin-speak-flint-water-crisis/

[center]~ ~ ~[/center]
Ann McFeatters

Who needs environmental protections?

Originally published January 22, 2016 at 4:16 pm

~ snip ~

Ohio Gov. John Kasich says environmental policymaking should be left to the states and local communities.

http://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/who-needs-environmental-protections/

[Elmergantry]

2. Now the rest of the story

According to the Dem State Rep for the area, the lead is NOT originating from the water plant or the main lines, but rather from the old plumbing in the house and/or the laterals from the house to the water mains. So the part of the infrastructure in question would be those parts the homeowner is responsible for maintaining. The question the EPA hasn't answered is they knew there were problems from a test way back in August but said nothing till now.

[Judi Lynn]

3. Thank you. n/t

[niyad]

9. please cite a link for this, and explain what you mean about "the house", as though a single

house was causing the problem.

[Elmergantry]

17. It was two houses to be exact afaik

as per the citation, I listened to a live radio interview with the state rep for the area. 570WKBN.
They checked the school, found lead in only two drinking fountains that are out of service. School is back open but they are using bottled water for now.

[niyad]

18. please tell me that you forgot the sarcasm icon, because that story makes no sense at all.

[Elmergantry]

20. Why doesnt it make sense?

again, no lead was found sourced from the plant up thru the distribution lines. The lead was leaching from tap in line pipes on the home owners property and from plumbing within the house.

[niyad]

21. please link to a legitimate, reliable source, since the entire town does not drink out of

two taps in two houses.

[Elmergantry]

23. How does CBS news sound?

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/official-in-hot-water-over-lead-in-sebring-ohios-water/

"The water at Sebring's plant and distribution system is considered safe.
Giroux said on Friday that pipes in seven of 20 older homes tested
had high levels of lead and copper because slightly acidic water caused pipes to leach the metals."
Butler said his agency was "too patient" in pushing for public notification about potential lead hazards after testing found high levels at a handful of older homes starting in June.



the article states that only ONE water fountain at the school had lead...which means its the plumbing in the school.

[niyad]

24. my apologies. was thinking of flint, not sebring.

[Elmergantry]

25. No problem. NT

[Duval]

4. Thanks Judi Lynn. K&R

[Helen Borg]

5. Can somebody remind me why the fucking water pipes are made of lead in the US?

It is not the same in many other countries.

[cloudythescribbler]

6. oh they take the diamonds out of the mines & throw the corpses in ...

with one crop as good as the other
as the profits keep rolling in ...

[niyad]

10. lead is cheap.

[zentrum]

13. Virtually every

…...other advanced industrialized nation in the world takes better care of its citizens in almost every way than the USA.

I think the demonization by corporate powers, of government, of taxes and of regulation, as the real "American exceptionalism" we hear so much about from the RW.

[csziggy]

15. I know - it's crazy

When I was a kid I read a history that partially attributed the fall of the Roman Empire to lead poisoning - that it contributed to the insanity of some of the Roman leaders. Then I read that lead was common in paint and in plumbing in this country, Even as a kid that sounded insane! The danger has been known for centuries but the stuff was still being used as recently as the 1960s and later.

I guess it is the same as so many dangers that science KNOWS about but that are inconvenient for businesses to avoid using and that government is too biased by campaign contributions to regulate.

[Elmergantry]

19. They dont

Concidentally I recently watched an old video of the installation of water pipes in the 20's. They use molten led to seal pipe connections. Supposedly there is a material stuffed in the joints to be a barrier between pipe and lead. I guess it corrodes after nearly 100 years.

[Travis_0004]

28. Pipes were made out of lead.

Both for water mains and residential pipes. They are not any more, buy lost of pipes that are 70 and 80 years old are still in use.

[Travis_0004]

27. Nobody knew lead was unsafe

They stopped using them in the 50's. These homeowners never replaced their pipes.

[cloudythescribbler]

7. lead poisoning widespread in US (link)

http://www.vox.com/2016/1/21/10811004/lead-poisoning-cities-us

[Leith]

8. My Prediction: We're Going to See a Lot More of This

After the latest debacle in Flint, now Sebring, people are going to pay water a lot more attention. Cities where the public water systems haven't been upgraded since the 1960s are going to find that they have similar problems.

This is horrible and it's going to get worse.

I am from Flint though I live out west now. Their latest crisis has hit me hard. It makes one wonder why we have such a bloated military when our country is falling apart around us.

[niyad]

11. because this country was invaded by colonialist, brutal, war-mongering thugs, and it has

only gotten worse.

we the people do not, never have, and never will, count.

[DhhD]

12. Dick Cheney's 2005-06, Energy Act, allows governments and workers to ignore

the Clean Water Act.

Those seeking water, gas, and oil, may ignore the Clean Water Act, according to the Dick Cheney and other Congressional members making money off the confiscation business:

http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/218969-senate-republicans-take-aim-at-federal-gas-fracking-rules

[Madmiddle]

14. Where ever republicans govern you will see this...

[Helen Borg]

16. Could it be?

That Red states have higher levels of lead poisoning, which would explain why lots of these folks act crazy?

[OrwellwasRight]

22. Can we get every household a lifetime supply of Pur water filters?

I'm not being ridiculous. I live in DC. We had a similar problem as Flint several years ago -- where somehow the condition of the water was causing it to leach lead from the pipes into the water supply. However, they caught it much sooner, and while they worked on experimenting with water conditioners to stop the leaching, they provided every single residence in DC with a Brita pitcher and filters. After all, that is what Brita filters do: get lead and other heavy metals out of the water.

People were grateful this brought to our attention and at least we had an interim solution. Holy solutions Batman, why on God's green earth is this not happening in Flint and elsewhere? Why are they just getting bottled Nestle water?

[Elmergantry]

26. Lead being uses in laying water pipes

[link:

|