The Virginia Department of Health recently approved the town of Hurt’s drinking water after one of 10 samples taken in September showed lead levels above federal guidelines.
Daily news emails Enter your email: Apps: iOS • Android The level of lead in drinking water has received more attention since the water crises in Flint, Michigan, garnered national media coverage in 2015.
Still, Danville Office of Drinking Water Field Director Jeff Wells said he doubts the homeowners were exposed to that level of lead for long as the town has had historically low amounts for decades.
The regulations allow for one of the 10 samples to be an outlier, said Poindexter.
“This was an extremely isolated incident,” he said.
“There’s no history of that issue in this area.” Within the last week, Hurt said the Virginia Department of Health said no more action was needed as the issue was resolved.
The single 106 parts per billion reading was the 10th highest sample taken in the state in 2017, according to data on the Virginia Department of Health website.
He said the EPA requires the town to take 10 water samples every three years to remain in compliance with federal water standards, each sample from a different location in a different part of the town.
Poindexter said the high lead level was likely due to an old meter that allowed more lead into the water than current regulations did.
Wells said the meter found by the town didn’t comply with regulations set in 2014.