New agreement on lead poisoning plan

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) -- Health officials are cooperating with the Providence Water Supply Board on an initiative designed to prevent childhood lead poisoning via public drinking water.

RI Department of Health Director Michael Fine signed off on a stay of an order that required the Providence Water Supply Board to replace 7% of its lead service lines this year.  The stay was granted to allow time for "further analysis" of data on the connection between lead water pipes and the actual lead levels in water that flows through them.

Fine cited recent work by both local and national experts that questions whether "partial lead service line replacements," as they are known, actually lowers blood lead levels in children.  Fine said that some data collected show that switching out lead service lines does not actually lower the already-low concentration of lead in tap water.

Instead, the $8 million earmarked for that program in the Water Supply Board's budget will be re-allocated to a three-tiered plan designed to prevent lead poisoning in children, assemble a team of experts to address problems of lead in common household pumbing, and accelrate other water main replacement programs.

Also, under the terms of the agreement, the PWSC will contribute $500,000 to the Health Department's lead poisoning prevention program.