Sunday, January 24, 2016
SEBRING — While noting recent tests show lowered levels of lead in the drinking water, the Ohio EPA is now focusing on a criminal probe into the the village’s water operation.
The OEPA is “taking steps to revoke the water treatment operator license of Jim Bates, the current licensed operator, as he is not properly performing his duties in a manner that is protective of public health,” officials said in a news release Sunday night.
The release went on to say “the agency also has reason to suspect that the operator falsified reports, so it has opened an investigation and is requesting assistance from U.S. EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division.”
“While the water system has a clean water source and supply, it is still unacceptable that a few individual homes are experiencing corrosion that is causing high levels of lead,” Ohio EPA Director Craig W. Butler was quoted in a news release Sunday night.
The release noted that in 25 of the 28 homes where water samples were taken since Thursday lead levels are below the federal guidelines. Also, in the 15 water samples that were taken at three local schools, all but one sample was lower than the allowable level.
The OEPA is requiring the village to continue to test the water, provide bottled water or filtration systems to homes where results are over the federal allowable level and provide health screening for residents.
As for now, the village can’t lift its drinking water advisory for pregnant women and children until it receives two rounds of low-lead sample levels in consecutive six-month periods.
In most recent testing this weekend:
• West Branch High School: All five tests had no detection of lead.
• McKinley Junior/Senior High: Four tests had no detection of lead, but one water fountain had a higher than the allowable level.
• B.L. Elementary School: Three tests had no detection of lead and two detections were below the allowable level.
The OEPA is also reviewing its own efforts, Butler said.
“It has become apparent that our field office was too patient in dealing with the village of Sebring’s ‘cat and mouse’ game and should have had closer scrutiny on the water system meeting its deadlines,” he said in the release.
“We are in the process of developing new protocols and appropriate personnel actions to ensure that our field staff takes action when it appears that a water system is not complying and taking their review seriously.”
The agency said it will conduct additional tests tonight at McKinley Junior/Senior High School and B.L. Elementary School to ensure student safety.