The City Council was urged Monday to “learn from Flint’s nightmare” by slapping a 1 percent tax on the sale of high-end property to help homeowners defray the cost of replacing lead service lines that carry water into Chicago homes.
The most alarming testimony came from Felicia Chase, a geologist and water specialist with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, who “saw first-hand the devastation that widespread lead poisoning can have on a community” during five deployments to Flint, Michigan.
Chase talked about kids allowed to drink rationed amounts of bottled water because the water from their kitchen sinks was poisonous and about the family of five that haunts her to this day.
That family’s youngest child was a toddler with rashes all over his body, the worst one on his scalp.
“She kept asking me if her child was gonna be OK. She asked me if her child was gonna have long-term effects from this lead in her drinking water.
“I urge you take steps to prevent lead poisoning from the lead pipes that transport our drinking water from Lake Michigan to us in Chicago.
No U.S. city has more lead service lines than Chicago.
That’s where the tax comes in.
“We need to find some way to help these seniors who can’t afford these service lines.
Or, let the city do the work and share the cost over five to 10 years, through an additional fee on the property tax bill.

GRAND HAVEN, Mich. – Bottled water is being distributed at Robinson Elementary in Grand Haven after test results returned showing elevated levels of PFAS in the water supply.
Initial test results found a combined PFOS/PFOA level of 110 ppt.
The school uses well water, but the supply has been shut off and bottled water is being distributed through the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Emergency Management Division and the Department of Health and Human Services.
Other than Robinson Elementary, all other schools in the Grand Haven Area Public School District are served by Northwest Ottawa Water System.
The GHAPS district will work with the MDEQ, Ottawa County Health Department, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and other agencies to determine the next steps, including the source of the contamination and a long-term plan for the water supply at the school.
They’re expected to hold a press conference at 4:45 p.m. We will carry it live here and on our Facebook page.
@wzzm13 — Jaleesa Irizarry (@JaleesaWZZM) October 29, 2018 The PFAS contaminants were found at Robinson Elementary as a part of a statewide study of PFAS levels in groundwater.
The Michigan PFAS Action Response Team has tested 381 schools to date.
Of that number, 266 schools had non-detectable levels of PFAS and 28 schools had levels below 70 ppt.
Read more about how residents have been affected by the contaminants with 13 ON YOUR SIDE’s Water Worries coverage.

Austin’s nearly-week boil water notice is now over, as of around 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, October 29, according to Austin Water, the city’s water company The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality checked the tap water levels to ensure that the tap water is safe to drink.
This means that the city residents and businesses don’t need to boil tap water or use bottled water for consumption, food and beverage preparations, or ice.
However, Austin restaurants are required to flush out all water lines, like ice machines, coffee machines, and other appliances used for food and drink preparation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
All restaurants have to run water through every faucet and drinking fountain for two minutes, clean each appliance that uses water, make one more batch of ice and throw it out, along with older batches of ice.
Austin Water and the city are still asking residents and businesses to reduce water usage so that the water treatment plants aren’t overwhelmed.
This includes no decorative water fountains, landscape watering, or adding more water to pools.
Austin restaurants and bars were caught off-guard when the boil water notice was enacted last Monday, so much so that some establishments had to temporarily close or rework menus in order to open for business.
Austin breweries pitched in by boiling up huge batches of water for coffee shops, businesses, and residents, using its brewing equipment.
Related Breweries Are Helping Austin Coffee Shops During Boil Water Notice How Austin Restaurants and Bars Are Dealing With the Boil Water Notice Boil Water Notice is Lifted [City of Austin] Food Establishment Flushing Procedure Following Lifting of City of Austin Boil Water Notice [City of Austin] Austin Boil Water Notice Affects Local Restaurants [EATX] Eater Austin Sign up for our newsletter.
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The Onondaga County Health Department on Saturday issued a boil water order for residents and businesses in the Village of Jordan and parts of the Town of Elbridge after results from routine sampling confirmed the presence of coliform bacteria.
As a precaution, water should not be consumed without first being boiled for one minute and then cooled.
Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, and food preparation until further notice, the county said.
The boil order will be in effect and sampling will continue in the affected areas until tests confirm there is no more coliform in the water supply.
The health department said the affected areas in Elbridge include Hamilton Road and west — Route 5, Wheeler Road and Chamberlain Road.
• If you use bottled water, be sure it comes from a safe source.
Use only bottled, boiled, or treated water until your water supply is tested and found to be safe.
• Boiling water when practical is the preferred way to get rid of harmful bacterial and parasites.
Bringing water to a boil for one minute will kill most organisms.
• While drinking water contaminated with coliform bacteria does not always cause illness, residents in the affected areas that experience gastrointestinal upset, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea should contact their health care provider.

A boil water order has been issued for residents of the Village of Jordan and parts of the Town of Elbridge by the Onondaga County Health Department.
Test results from routine sampling confirmed the presence of coliform bacteria, the health department said in a Saturday night release.
The health department says not to use water without boiling it first.
Below are other recommendations from the health department: If you use bottled water, be sure it comes from a safe source.
If you do not know the source, boil or treat the water before you use it.
Boiling water when practical is the preferred way to get rid of harmful bacterial and parasites.
Bringing water to a boil for one minute will kill most organisms.
You can treat water with chlorine tablets, iodine tablets, or unscented household chlorine bleach (5.25% sodium hypochlorite).
If you use household chlorine bleach, add 1/8 teaspoons of bleach per gallon of water if the water is clear.
Mix the solution thoroughly and let it stand for about 30 minutes before using it.

The Onondaga County Health Department on Saturday issued a boil water order for residents and businesses in the Village of Jordan and parts of the Town of Elbridge after results from routine sampling confirmed the presence of coliform bacteria.
As a precaution, water should not be consumed without first being boiled for one minute and then cooled.
Bottled water certified for sale by the New York State Department of Health is also safe to drink.
Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, and food preparation until further notice, the county said.
The boil order will be in effect and sampling will continue in the affected areas until tests confirm there is no more coliform in the water supply.
Additional reminders for residents in this area include: • If you use bottled water, be sure it comes from a safe source.
Use only bottled, boiled, or treated water until your water supply is tested and found to be safe.
• Boiling water when practical is the preferred way to get rid of harmful bacterial and parasites.
Bringing water to a boil for one minute will kill most organisms.
Residents seeking more information about the order may call the Onondaga County Health Department at (315) 435-6600.

LANNON, Wis. (WILX) – Students and staff at a Wisconsin elementary school are using bottled water after E. coli was found in their water source.
Portable hand washing stations are now part of the day for more than 300 students at Lannon Elementary.
"We had a water sample taken in September just per routine protocol by the state and we had a positive sample for E. coli and coliform," Principal Brian Balfany said.
Balfany had to move fast, immediately covering the water fountains, bringing in bottled water and taking the extra step of not even using the water for hand washing.
"It’s really been minimal impact.
Our kids are resilient and they’re very hydrated now and they’re very aware of washing their hands because of a new focus on it," said Balfany.
A large water tank is even filled every few weeks at Sussex Hamilton High School used by the custodian here for cleaning.
The Optimist Club and local grocers are donating some bottled water in the meantime, and parents are glad none of the kids have gotten sick.
"You know, they really don’t talk about it unless I ask them so they’re fine.
You know they’re used to grabbing bottled water.

MEMBERS OF THE European Parliament have voted to adopt new rules which aim to improve the quality of and access to drinking water as well as reduce plastic waste from water bottles.
Most people in the European Union have good access to high quality drinking water.
More than 98.5% of tests carried out on drinking water samples between 2011 and 2013 met EU standards, according to a 2016 report by the European Environment Agency.
On average, every person in the EU consumes up to 106 litres of bottled water every year.
Research by the European Commission has found that reducing the consumption of bottled water could help households in Europe save more than €600 million per year, and have a positive impact on the environment by reducing CO2 emissions and plastic waste.
This week, MEPs voted in favour of updating rules to increase consumer confidence and encourage the drinking of tap water.
Some 500,000 tonnes of plastic waste from the EU end up in the sea every year.
The new rules include: Tightening the maximum limits for certain pollutants such as lead (to be reduced by half), harmful bacteria, as well as introducing new caps for certain endocrine disruptors Member states to take measures to provide universal access to clean water in the EU and improve water access in cities and public places, by setting up free fountains where technically feasible and proportionate; they should also encourage tap water to be provided in restaurants, canteens and catering services for free or for a low service fee Member states should identify people without access, or with limited access to water, including vulnerable and marginalised groups, and assess ways to improve their access The rules also have to be negotiated with the Commission before they come into effect.
Dublin MEP Brian Hayes said the European Parliament has recognised that “consumers’ trust in drinking water from the tap needs to be restored”.
“These updated rules should impact positively on our drinking water standards in this country – providing monetary savings for consumers as well as assisting us to play our part in tackling plastic waste.”

BENTON HARBOR — Donations of bottled water are pouring in to Benton Harbor schools as people help keep students hydrated until the district’s water test results come back.
Benton Harbor schools Superintendent/CEO Bob Herrera said every water fixture at each school will be tested next week to see if the water has lead in it.
He ordered that the water be tested after the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality issued an advisory earlier this week about higher-than-acceptable levels of lead in some of Benton Harbor’s drinking water.
The advisory was issued after eight of 30 homes tested this summer were above the action level of 15 parts per billion (ppb), and the 90th percentile of the samples was 22 ppb for lead.
District officials estimate that they will need 5,000 bottles of water each day the tap water isn’t used.
“We did not ask for donations, but we want to thank everybody and we appreciate the support and generosity,” he said.
Anyone who would like to donate can drop the bottled water off during school hours at the Administration Building, 1995 Union Ave., Benton Township.
“It’s a community dealership and long-time friend to Benton Harbor Area Schools,” said Benton Harbor Mayor Marcus Muhammad, who works at Signature Toyota.
Bill Crowder, general manager at Signature Toyota, said they donated more than 100 cases of bottled water Friday.
The kits instruct residents to catch “first draw” water in the provided collection bottle after the water has sat in the pipes for at least six hours.

As we head into the weekend Austin Water wants you to know it’s still on track to end the boiled water notice for its customers this weekend.
That part of the nightmare is over.
There’s plenty of bottled water everywhere.
The city’s public distribution of bottled water is now a well-practiced operation.
When it comes to loading entire cases of water into your car these teams have it down.
Esther Treviño appreciates the service.
She says, "I’m coming by and picking it up for my elderly parents and they have some grandchildren that live there.
Austin Mayor Steve Adler today reported, “Seton hospital has a 40-day supply of water right now.
And as far as our public water system, the city says it’s on track to lift the boil water alert sometime late Sunday.
Greg Meszaros, director of Austin Water says, “We’ve refilled the bulk of our storage tanks.