BY CARSON HOLTON
Lions’ Pride Staff Writer

Why have the water fountains in Crawford and St. Edward’s Hall been replaced by five-gallon water jugs?

The pipes in these buildings and also the Abbey exceeded the lead action level that is designated and monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In other words, the water in these buildings may not be safe to drink without treatment.

“Two samples exceeded the action level, and also exceeded the 90th Percentile Limit. The 90th Percentile definition is as follows: The lead action level is exceeded if the concentration of lead is more than 10 percent of tap water samples collected, and is greater than 0.015 milligrams (mg). The two samples taken at the University were at Crawford Hall 0.028 mg and Saint Edwards 0.035 mg. Public Notice/Education was required to notify all of the users of St. Leo University’s water. They are currently under increased monitoring,” said Ana Gibbs, the external affairs manager at the EPA.

Lead enters a plumbing system because water chemically reacts with it, resulting in corrosion. The levels of lead contamination vary based on the amount of minerals in the water, and how long the water has been in the pipe. As soon as Saint Leo was notified of the lead contamination, they took steps toward cleaning the water. First, Saint Leo contacted Zephyrhills bottling company for a temporary rental agreement until the necessary tests were performed in both buildings.
“The University has placed filters on the drinking fountains to reduce lead, had the water retested, and the water is well below the allowed limits.” said Frank Mezzanini, the vice president of Business Affairs.

Though flushing pipes and leaving a solution in the pipes is a typical cleaning method, this is not an advisable way to fix lead pipes because both actions assist in corrosion. Gerald Foster of the EPA suggested that shells could be inserted in the pipes so the water would not contact the lead surface. Saint Leo officials are not aware that lead pipes were even used in the buildings concerned.
“The use of lead in buildings was outlawed years ago, but Crawford and Saint Edward’s were constructed before the ban on lead was put into place,” said Frank Mezzanini.

The EPA recommends that students in any university let their water run until the temperature changes to ensure that the water to be used has not been sitting. It is advised to not use water that has been sitting in the system for more than six hours. Exposure to lead is not only toxic, but it may stunt physical and mental development as well. Hot water is more prone to corroding lead pipes, so the EPA recommends using cold water for drinking and cooking. Babies and pregnant women are especially vulnerable to the effects of lead, so avoid using hot water when mixing an infant formula. A common mistake people make is boiling water to remove lead content, but that does not change it. Running cold tap water is the safest way to go.

According to dcwasa.com , the (Washington) DC Water and Sewer Authority said on March 24, 2004, “The Brita Products Company is donating 10,000 water filtration pitchers for distribution to district families with children under age six and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding who live in areas with lead service lines.”

The filters recently installed in Crawford and St. Edward’s Hall, like Brita filters, can remove 98% of the lead in tap water. The EPA recommends faucet and pitcher filters certified by NSF International for removing lead. Washington D.C. distributed 10,000 Brita pitchers which are products that usually run at $10 each. If the issue of lead contamination influenced our nation’s capital to such preventive measures, it must be an important issue. Saint Leo will have to wait to use the water fountains until the EPA confirms they are safe. Until then, Saint Leo will use five-gallon jugs in concerned areas.