Lead
Where does the lead in the water come from?
Lead can come from multiple sources, however the biggest culprit contributing to lead in water are the Lead Service Lines that were installed prior to 1986 when this type of plumbing material was banned. A service line is the plumbing that connects the city’s water mains out in the streets to your home.
If you do not know what material your service line is made of, you can check on the City of Sycamore’s website. They have an inventory of most of the homes in the city and you can look up your address. You can also call the City of Sycamore Public Works Department at 815-895-3545
If you have a lead service line, it needs to be replaced. Through a special program funded by the state of Illinois, you can have your lead service line replaced at NO CHARGE to the homeowner. The City of Sycamore has told us that many homes that are eligible for this free replacemet have not taken advantage of the program.
Other sources of lead in the water can be plumbing and fixtures within the home itself. Though lead was “banned” in service lines in 1986, it continues to be used in faucets, fixtures etc. “lead free” fixtures and solder are allowed to contain 0.25% lead according to US law.
Unfortunately, it is not. Cities and towns all over the eastern and midwestetern areas of the United States are dealing with similar issues.
In Sycamore however, there has been a long history of underfunding infrastructure projects and deferring maintenance until the issue has come to a crisis point.
Is this problem unique to Sycamore?
I have heard there are different ways of testing water. If I do have my water tested, how should it be done?
The home’s faucets, showers, washing machines should be used as usual leading up to the time of testing. Then the plumbing throughout the home should not be used for a period of 6 hours (usually overnight). No toilets should be flushed or water run for 6 hours. Then the specimen should be collected, preferably from the kitchen or bathroom faucet.
Do not remove faucet aerators prior to testing.
Collect the first liter of water in a WIDE MOUTH container.
With another liter container, continue to measure out liters as they come out of the faucet and collect another specimen between the 5th and 8th liter of water to flow from the faucet. This tends to be where peak lead levels are measured. Samples that only collect the first liter of water may be missing peak levels.
See the EPA memo in documents on this site for more details and data on this if interested.
What harms can come to children from lead exposure?
Lead is poisonous to humans at any level. It accumulates in the tissues of the body, especially the brain and bones. In developing children it can result in loss of IQ, behavioral issues such as ADHD, mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, as well as increase the risks of cancers and neurological problems.
Exposure to lead in pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage and prematurity in the infant. Additionally, lead exposure can affect the developing baby’s brain, kidneys, and nervous system resulting in learning and behavior problems in childhood and beyond.
See the Ripple effects of childhood lead poisoning on Loyola’s website.
What harms can come to adults from lead exposure?
Lead exposure in adults can cause high blood pressure, brain, kidney and reproductive health issues. Symptoms of lead poisoning include headaches, stomach cramps, constipation, muscle/joint pain, trouble sleeping, fatigue, irritability, and loss of sex drive. Most adults with lead poisoning don't look or feel sick.