Testing finds elevated lead levels in some St. Paul drinking water

Frederick Melo, Pioneer Press
·3 min read
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St. Paul Regional Water Services makes it their goal that 90% of all home tap water testing come back showing lead levels below 15 parts per billion. This year — for the first time in decades — more than a dozen homes out of 105 residential samples revealed lead levels at least slightly higher than the threshold, which is set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and aims to trigger stepped-up action against lead.

“The last time we had an exceedance was over 20 years ago,” said Racquel Vaske, deputy director of St. Paul Regional Water Services, noting home tap water testing occurs every few years through a sampling method. “This is something that most of us working here have not experienced in our careers thus far.”

The 13 homeowners, who were scattered throughout St. Paul and all have lead service lines, have all been contacted for retesting. The water utility is working with them on next steps, such as providing information about how to clean their faucet aerators, flush their lines or get their lead service lines replaced at a discount, if not free of charge.

“We’re usually aiming to have 10% or less (of water samples) come in below the action threshold. We’re slightly above that,” said Vaske on Monday. “Our results this year is that 90% of our samples came back below 17 parts per billion. So we’re just over that action level. Those 13 customers have had direct communication from our team.”

Effort to replace all lead lines

In addition, letters have gone out across St. Paul reminding all homeowners that the city is in the midst of a 10-year campaign to replace all lead service lines connecting water mains in the street to individual residences.

St. Paul Regional Water Services serves 14 cities, spanning 96,000 different service line connections. Approximately 26,000 of those service lines are still lead, most of them attached to older homes in St. Paul.

In the past two years, the water utility has replaced about 1,000 lead service lines, free of charge to homeowners.

In October, St. Paul Regional Water announced it would receive $15 million from the Public Facilities Authority and the Minnesota Department of Health for its “Lead Free” campaign, with the goal of removing and replacing another 1,000 lead lines in 2024. Homeowners can sign up online for free notifications alerting them when St. Paul Regional Water will be replacing lines in their area. Line replacement is not automatic, as it requires an opt-in from the property owner.

“Do you have a lead service line? I would hope every one of our customers can answer that question,” Vaske said. “And if they do, there’s some things they can be doing. Overnight, when your water sits in that lead service line for eight hours, the accumulation can really occur.”

What to do

Simple solutions including running a faucet for a few minutes in the morning and learning how to remove and clean your faucet aerators on a regular basis. Other aspects of the utility’s water distribution system are tested regularly and are lead-free.

“Beside your service line, the distribution water mains that take the water to people’s homes do not contain lead,” Vaske said.

Customers are asked to do the following:

• Confirm if you have a lead service by reviewing the letter that was mailed to your home, or look up your address in the utility’s online service material map.

• Test your water for lead for free by picking up and returning a collection bottle from customer service staff at 1900 Rice St. in St. Paul.

• If you have a lead service line, clear your water lines by running cold water for 3 to 5 minutes before use. Do not drink or cook with water that has collected in your plumbing for more than six hours.

• Clean your faucet aerators at least once a month.

• Learn more about lead lines, including how to get notified that it’s your turn to opt in for free lead line replacement, at tinyurl.com/STPLeadPipe22.

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