Blood level screening and lead water testing continues in Sebring

SEBRING

Village water system customers, whose tap water has tested above the federal 15 parts per billion lead limit, may call the Mahoning County Board of Health to arrange for a free blood lead level screening and lead risk consultation, village Manager Richard D. Giroux has announced.

Anyone seeking a screening should call the health department’s nursing division at 330-270-2855, extension 125. The health department can also be reached at 800-873-MCHD, toll-free in Mahoning County.

Meanwhile, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency received another round of test results today from homeowners in the village who asked to have their tap water tested — and 94 of the 97 samples were below the federal allowable limit for lead. Ohio EPA ordered Sebring on Jan. 21 to offer free water testing for any homeowner who asked and will make those results public as they are received.

Combined with earlier voluntary test results received, 758 of 795 samples have been below the federal allowable level.

Ohio EPA said that it continues to work closely with the village and the U.S. EPA to fine tune the water chemistry to minimize lead from leaching into the water from piping of certain homeowners. Recent test results confirm that the village’s water plant is lead free.

Despite the fact that most results are below the federal allowable level, the village is still required to provide bottled water or filtration systems to homes where results are over the federal allowable level and work with Mahoning County to provide health screening for residents.

In addition, the village must complete all immediate, short-term, and long-term actions required by the Ohio EPA director. To minimize their lead exposure, all residents should follow guidance in public education documents provided by the village and, to flush out the lead, run their tap water for 30 seconds to two minutes before using it.

Ohio EPA will continue to release new results as they become available.