PITTSBURGH (AP) - Pittsburgh officials received approval from the state to add a chemical to its water supply to help reduce lead contamination.
The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority will start adding orthophosphate to its water in August, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported Friday.
The authority chose the chemical after a series of tests, and it works by forming a coating inside lead pipes and stopping lead from filtering into the water.
The city’s water has been above the federal limit for lead since 2016.
Lead levels in the city were at 21 parts per billion in January, according to data from the U.S. Environment Protection Agency. The limit is 15 parts per billion.
Results from the current round of lead testing will be released in July.
PWSA Executive Director Robert Weimar said he expects to see lower lead levels by the end of the year. The authority will stop its current plan of using soda ash and lime to reduce lead levels once it starts adding orthophosphate.
The authority will prepare for orthophosphate by flushing out the entire system. People in the Pittsburgh area should expect to see water discoloration in the coming months.
The authority plans to install four stations to add the chemical, according to Weimar. He said the equipment will cost an estimated $2.5 million, and the work still requires approval from the state Department of Environmental Protection.
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Information from: Tribune-Review, http://triblive.com
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