Lead Testing Results from two worst case homes in Flint (before and after water switch)

Here we present the results of lead testing in two homes in Flint with persistently high levels of lead. The results from Dec 01 indicate that lead levels are dropping after the City went back to Detroit water. However, please continue to use your lead filters.

H1 H2

Bottle 1: First draw sample after 6 hours of stagnation (US EPA Protocol)
Bottle 2: Sample after 45 seconds of Flushing
Bottle 3: Sample after 2 minutes of Flushing

  • For reference, EPA’s action level for lead is 15 ppb.
  • Flint switched back to Detroit Water on Oct 16, 2015. All samples before this date are on Flint River water.
  • For both homes, sampling on Dec 1 indicates that lead levels are dropping.
  • For Home 1, water samples were collected at very low flow on Sep 15 because of very low pressure in the water distribution system. The lead levels are, therefore, an underestimate.

Graphs: Anurag Mantha


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One thought on “Lead Testing Results from two worst case homes in Flint (before and after water switch)

  1. First are the chloride levels specifically in the Flint River water connected to the increase incidence of liberated lead in the Flint water system?

    Can someone please share a Flint River chloride test number in mg/l and if significantly higher than other Michigan rivers please indicate the probable sources for the higher chloride levels.

    It makes sense the Lake Huron chloride levels would be lower than the Flint River out of shear volume and flushing. The Flint River watershed encompasses a large area of impervious surfaces that receive a lot of salt on an annual basis.

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