Since Jan. 21, 1,030 of 1,077 samples tested safe for lead

Staff report

SEBRING

The 13th round of Sebring voluntary lead tests of household tap water revealed that 31 of 33 samples were below the federal allowable limit.

The Ohio EPA ordered the village Jan. 21 to offer free water testing for any home owner who requested the service, and will continue to make test results public as they are received.

Since Jan. 21, including test results announced Thursday, 1,030 of 1,077 samples have tested below the federal allowable level.

Ohio EPA has followed up on some of the high readings and found that water coming into the homes is safe, and that running the tap for several minutes successfully eliminates any detectable lead in the water, the state agency said.

The Ohio EPA said it continues to work closely with the village of Sebring and the U.S. EPA to fine-tune the village’s 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 test 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 the Mahoning County District Board of Health to provide health screening for residents who request them.