Tene Lewis (continued)

For the past four years, I have advocated for residents in Wards 5, 7, and 8 in the District of Columbia on lead-in-drinking-water issues to demand that the D.C. Council, Mayor, and DC Water do more to protect us from lead poisoning and toxins in our drinking water. 

During my time as a volunteer, I have observed the lack of transparency, urgency, and total neglect to prioritize the lives of D.C. residents from this irreversible harm that is impacting families in my community.  Prior to my volunteer service with these organizations, I believed the water in the District and around the country was safe to drink because water utilities have a responsibility to provide safe drinking water to their customers.  I learned this was not the case and was equally surprised to learn with all of the known factors about the water in D.C. it’s taken more than two decades to act with any urgency to protect us.  The lead-in-water crisis has been an issue for too many years, and DC Water says that because they meet all state and federal regulations the water is safe to drink.  This is not okay, this is intentional harm to the customers they serve.  DC Water’s own data show that even when we meet LCR requirements with flying colors, between 70 and almost 90 percent of tested taps dispense some lead. Also, the EPA should no longer allow this utility, or any others, to continue poisoning children and families in our communities.  This is not ethical or humane.  It’s time to get it right!!!

I am requesting that EPA's updated Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) require water utilities to tell the people across the country to use lead certified filters at all times whether or not they have a lead service line, and no matter what a one or two sample lead test result is.  EPA needs to provide more accurate public health and science based messaging, and make sure water authorities like DC Water do regular public education on how residents can protect themselves from lead exposure at the tap.  As it's going to take 10 years or more for lead service line replacement in DC and in many other cities, EPA should require utilities to provide to all buildings that have a lead, galvanized, or unknown service line a free filter, replacement cartridge, and education on filter installation, maintenance, and replacement. Utilities must make available free filters to all low-income water users who care to protect themselves from exposures.    

Due to the absence of effective efforts for more than 20 years, community oversight should also be required of DC Water and water authorities across the US, which have long been aware of lead water exposure at the tap  This can be accomplished by (1) requiring that  community-based organizations and nonprofits  work directly with impacted communities to ensure families receive accurate information; (2)  requiring that funding sources are prioritized for the most vulnerable communities; and (3), DC Water and other water utilities are evaluated on the efficiency and effectiveness of their  service line replacement work and program implementation.  Technical experts, water utilities, and professionals are fully aware of the negative health impacts of lead poisoning on children, including learning disabilities and aggressive behavior, which leads to their dropping out of school and ending up in the criminal justice system (the “classroom to prison pipeline”).  These outcomes directly correlate to lead poisoning.  However, parents are unaware of these things because no one is obligated to share this information or held accountable for the harm impacting their households. 

In summary, what I am conveying today is that most people do not know what a CCR  (Consumer Confidence Report) is and lack the most basic facts about lead in water. A filter-first recommendation would help people understand that lead in water is ubiquitous. It would be easier to implement than the delivery of seven different recommendations, which a) are not all scientifically sound (e.g., testing the water to see if your tap is safe, scratching your service line to determine if it's lead), b) are impractical (e.g., monitoring your neighborhood for construction), and c) leave people on their own to make decisions that can require scientific expertise and can be overwhelming (e.g., how long to flush based on the length of your lead service line). 

Thank you again for your time and consideration.