EPA says Benton Harbor residents have ‘suffered for too long’
(The Center Square) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a 23-page order enumerating multiple violations in Benton Harbor’s water supply found during a recent inspection.
The federal order details many city problems, including poor record keeping, failure to calibrate turbidity meters, and failure to implement disinfection benchmarks in 2017. The water supply serves about 9,800 Benton Harbor residents.
The city couldn’t prove that it warned and educated residents about high lead water levels from June 2018 through June 2020.
The report explains steps to fix its water system and protect residents from lead exposure. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) is also taking a separate action today to address violations of state law as part of its ongoing state enforcement action.
For three years, the majority-Black Michigan city’s lead levels in the drinking water have exceeded both state and federal action standards. But the state and federal government haven’t acted urgently until the past month or so following a Sept. 9 petition asking the EPA for help.
In an Oct. 21 hearing, EGLE Director Liesl Clark said the city’s water wasn’t safe to drink and called the situation “inexcusable.”
The report identified many problems, including water system officials failed to alert the health department of the lead action level water conditions between August 2020 and August 2021, including:
The city failed to notify residents in their water bills of high lead levels between August 2020 and August 2021.The city failed to contact hospitals, pediatricians, family planning clinics, community centers, or adult foster care facilities in the 12-month period between August 2020 and August 2021, according to the System’s February and August 2021 public education certifications.
“The people of Benton Harbor have suffered for too long. EPA is fully engaged and working to support the community, and today, we are taking a critical next step to ensure that drinking water is safe and reliable,” EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan said in a statement. “Exposure to lead in children can cause irreversible and life-long health effects, including decreasing IQ, focus, and academic achievement. The water infrastructure in Benton Harbor, like many cities across the country, needs upgrades and investments to build resiliency and protect people from lead.”
The Safe Drinking Water Act provides EPA with broad authority to protect public health in Benton Harbor, including:
Informing consumers when lead action level exceedances are detected in drinking water.Improving the applications of chlorine for disinfection and orthophosphate for corrosion control.Implementing stricter requirements for better monitoring of residual disinfectants and its byproducts.Making filter repairs at the treatment plant.Using an independent third party to analyze alternatives for the long-term operation and maintenance of the system.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has pledged to replace all lead pipes in Benton Harbor by 2023. Benton Harbor Mayor Marcus Muhammad says he needs $11.4 million to complete lead line replacement.
Disclaimer: This content is distributed by The Center Square
