Ann Arbor, MI, January 11th, 2016
Earlier this month, Michigan’s Governor Rick Synder declared a state of emergency for Genesee County due to the ongoing health and safety issues caused by lead in the city of Flint’s drinking water. By declaring a state of emergency, he made available all state resources in cooperation with local response and recovery operations.
The day before the governor’s declaration, Genesee County had declared a local state of emergency. By requesting the governor’s declaration, the county determined local resources were insufficient to address the situation and state assistance was required to protect public health, safety and property to lessen or avert the threat of a crisis.
The water crisis began in Flint back in 2014 when the city stopped using Detroit’s water system for its residents. To save money, the city began using water from the Flint River. The river water is believed to be more polluted and corrosive than Detroit’s water that had previously flowed through pipes that originated from Lake Huron.
“Corrosive water can leach lead from pipes and plumbing fixtures,” said Joe Frasca, Senior Vice President of Marketing at EMSL Analytical, Inc. “Many people don’t realize that lead was sometimes used in the past in household plumbing materials or in water service lines. A prohibition on lead in plumbing materials has been in effect since 1986, but cities like Flint have many old water service lines and countless properties built before that time.”
For people concerned about the possible presence of lead or other contaminants in their water, EMSL Analytical offers comprehensive water testing for heavy metals, microbial pathogens and other pollutants. They also offer a consumer-friendly Drinking Water Test Kit that can we be accessed at www.EMSLTestKits.com. In addition, EMSL recently sponsored an educational video about lead in drinking water that can be seen at: http://youtu.be/2kvtAcpw1MY.
To learn more about lead or other environmental, health and safety testing services, please visit www.EMSL.com, call (800) 220-3675 or email info@EMSL.com.
About EMSL Analytical, Inc.
EMSL Analytical is a nationally recognized and locally focused provider of environmental, indoor air quality, consumer product and materials testing services and products for professionals and the general public. The company has an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations as well as state and federal regulating bodies.